From 2 to 5 May, I travelled to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as part of an ad hoc mission of the European Parliament to exchange views on the consequences of the war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
In Riyadh, our delegation visited the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), where we met with the GCC Secretary-General as well as the Saudi Foreign Minister. We also held discussions with members of the Saudi Shura Council – our parliamentary counterpart on the Saudi side.
We then travelled to Bahrain, which currently holds the presidency of the GCC and has been particularly affected by Iranian retaliatory attacks. There, we met with the Bahraini Foreign Minister as well as representatives of the Shura Council and the House of Representatives.
One thing became very clear throughout the visit: when it comes to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Europe and the Gulf states are facing many of the same challenges. Rising energy prices and disrupted supply chains are affecting Europe as well, but for the Gulf states the economic and security consequences are even more immediate. Although they – unlike Israel – did not attack Iran themselves, they have become major targets of Iranian retaliation. These attacks have not only targeted military facilities such as American bases, but also civilian infrastructure including hospitals, schools, and desalination plants. One figure illustrates the scale of this particularly starkly: while Israel has faced around 1,500 drones and missiles since the beginning of the war, the Iranian regime has launched more than 6,000 missiles and drones at the Gulf states.
Our conversations on the ground also revealed a strong desire for reliable international partners and a rules-based international order. Many expressed deep scepticism regarding the current negotiations in Islamabad and concern that they could ultimately produce another fragile agreement that fails to address the underlying conflicts sustainably – much like what we are currently witnessing in Gaza.
Against this backdrop, we discussed possibilities for closer security and defence cooperation between the EU and the GCC, questions related to freedom of navigation, and diplomatic initiatives aimed at stabilising the region.
For me personally, it was particularly important not to lose sight of the people of Iran. They are suffering both under the regime and from war, repression, and economic hardship. Especially now, their rights and voices must not disappear from geopolitical negotiations.
How quickly the situation can escalate again became evident during our return journey via Dubai to Brussels. Our flight from Bahrain to Dubai was diverted to Doha after circling above the Strait of Hormuz for an extended period due to Iranian missile attacks on the UAE. With the airspace over the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain repeatedly being temporarily closed, and uncertainty for hours over how we would continue our journey, we ultimately made our way back to Brussels via Paris and by train.
You can find the European Parliament’s official statement on the visit here.
