Via Hussein Ibish in agsiw.org: The three GCC countries with a recent history of disputes with Iran are the ones most concerned. The United Arab Emirates, which is extremely vulnerable to missile attacks, and Saudi Arabia are particularly anxious to avoid any involvement in Israel’s expected retaliation. In meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of an Asia conference in Doha and, most significantly, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s highly significant October 9 visit to Riyadh, both sides made their positions unequivocally clear. Iran stated that any overflight, with or without cooperation, would be “unacceptable” and invite potential retaliation, presumably including military reprisals. For their part, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf Arab countries expressed their neutrality in the bilateral Israeli-Iranian confrontation and their determination not to take sides in any way.
