Trump to meet Gulf leaders at UN as Iran war enters possible new phase
A satellite image of the Strait of Hormuz
USA: President Donald Trump is planning to meet leaders from the six Gulf Cooperation Council states on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next Tuesday to discuss next steps in the Iran war, according to CNBC, citing a report by Axios.
The State Department sent initial invitations to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman on Wednesday, with the guest list potentially widening to include other Arab and Muslim leaders, Axios reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also expressed interest in meeting Trump in New York, though no meeting has been scheduled.
Discussions will focus on US proposals for a post-war strategy, with Trump’s senior team working on a day-after plan that is not expected to be finalised until after November’s midterm elections, according to CNBC.
Ceasefire talks stalled as attacks continue
The diplomatic push comes as Washington’s efforts to resume ceasefire talks appear to have stalled, with Gulf states absorbing escalating attacks from Iran and Iran-aligned Houthi militants in recent days.
Trump said Wednesday that he had spoken with Tehran “directly,” without providing further details, and claimed Iran wants to make a deal. “Well, hopefully we are toward the end of the war. They want to make a deal, we’ll see how that works out,” he told reporters in North Carolina.
Michael Feller, chief strategist at Geopolitical Strategy, offered a more cautious assessment: “Iran may be willing to do a deal after the midterms. If not, the war may continue until late 2028, if not beyond.”
Saudi pipeline damage and oil prices
The economic costs of the conflict continue to mount. Saudi Arabia shut its East-West Pipeline, a strategic network transporting crude from the kingdom’s eastern coast to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, following damage caused by a drone attack, CNBC reported. Export-terminal stockpiles will run out unless the line is restored within days, Feller warned.
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Some relief came Thursday as Saudi Arabia reportedly arranged additional shipments through Oman’s Sohar port via ship-to-ship transfers, easing fears of a prolonged supply gap. Brent crude futures with November expiry fell 1.5% to US$104.28 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures with October expiry dipped 1.1% to $101.30.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres repeated calls for de-escalation on Wednesday, urging diplomacy and the restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
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