The efforts and excellence of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC countries in managing and containing crises and emergencies
The military confrontations between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which erupted on February 28, 2026, reflected the three characteristics of a crisis: it came without warning, required decisive decisions from the Gulf Cooperation Council states within a very limited timeframe, and was marked by conflicting or insufficient information. On the other hand, the crisis is classified as international according to the definition of the late Professor Dr. Mustafa Al-Alawi, who described it as “a situation arising from the intensification of a long and protracted comprehensive conflict between two or more states, resulting from one party’s attempt to alter the existing strategic balance, which constitutes a fundamental threat to the values, objectives, and interests of the adversary, who moves to resist; this situation persists for a relatively limited period of time, punctuated by the parties’ resort to military force, and it culminates in significant outcomes that affect the existing regional order”; a definition that reflects Iranian policies. Indeed, Iran has sought to alter the regional balance of power, at times through the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and at other times through the eight-year war with Iraq (1980–1981). The current scenario itself involves efforts to push the Arab Gulf states to become a party to that war, up to its evasiveness regarding its nuclear program through the signing of the nuclear agreement in 2015 with the aim of lifting U.S. sanctions against it, in a desire to invest millions of dollars in implementing its hegemonic regional project, which aimed to alter the regional balance of power—a move that constitutes a threat to both regional and global security.
Given the significance of the above, and given the risks and repercussions of the crisis—where Iran’s systematic response has escalated across the territories of the Arab Gulf states since the very first hours, targeting U.S. military bases, Gulf ports, vital infrastructure, energy facilities, and civilian amenities such as airports and residential areas—the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have skillfully managed the crisis based on three key factors. First: the cumulative experience of these states in confronting regional security crises. The Gulf states are situated within a regional environment characterized by chronic tension, beginning with Iran’s attempts to export its revolution to the Gulf, through the war with Iraq, and culminating in an Iranian regional project that has violated all international conventions and principles of international law, which call for respect for the sovereignty and independence of states and non-interference in their internal affairs. Second: The Arab Gulf states have exhausted all avenues to moderate the behavior of the Iranian regime, which has consistently declared its objectives toward the region—primarily the consolidation of regional hegemony—and on this matter, there has never been any disagreement between the reformist and conservative wings of its government. Third: A reality that has been obscured or ignored by the Iranian regime, namely that the security of the Arabian Gulf is a global concern, as global security begins in the Gulf for many reasons.
Based on the foregoing, the GCC countries’ management of this crisis has been characterized by five features—or rather, parallel and complementary approaches. First: The role of the leader during the crisis. The solidarity between the leader and the people in the GCC states serves as a model to be emulated, given its significant impact in instilling reassurance in society and bolstering its military and security institutions. This was evident in the visit of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the country and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, may God protect and preserve him, to the Royal Bahraini Air Force, and His Majesty’s affirmation that “the Kingdom of Bahrain—praise be to God—is today more united and stronger, standing as one behind the banner of our beloved homeland.” This is in addition to His Majesty’s visit to the Ministry of Interior, where he praised “the solidarity, joint efforts, and continuous coordination between the Ministry of Interior, the Bahrain Defense Force, the National Guard, and various military and security agencies, given their pivotal role in strengthening the national security system and consolidating the pillars of stability.”
Second: The skill of the security and military agencies in managing this crisis, which comes as no surprise. The GCC states have conducted a large number of “simulation exercises” to deal with emergencies and crises, and have presented the world with a model and lessons learned through their successful management of the COVID-19 crisis. Perhaps what distinguishes these countries’ efforts in the current crisis is their redoubled efforts to protect state institutions, citizens, and residents, to ensure the functioning of daily life, while simultaneously defending vital state infrastructure.
Third: Condemning Iranian attacks on their territories collectively through the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as well as individually, and affirming that these attacks constitute a grave violation of the principles of the United Nations and international law, while successfully internationalizing these condemnations through the adoption of UN Resolution 2817, which was supported by 135 members of the United Nations; which was submitted by the Kingdom of Bahrain on behalf of the GCC states and Jordan. The resolution deemed the Iranian attacks on the Arab Gulf states a violation of international law and a serious threat to international peace and security. In light of this resolution, international condemnations of Iran followed one after another, further increasing its diplomatic isolation.
Fourth: Gulf solidarity was manifested in its highest form through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s provision of its alternative airports and ports, located away from the Strait of Hormuz, to its GCC brothers in support of maritime trade, and the Sultanate of Oman’s affirmation that its ports are ready for the same purpose, to name but a few examples. This underscores the reality that Gulf integration embodies the shared goal and destiny of nations bound by historical, geographical, social, and cultural ties in a manner unparalleled in other regions of the world. Fifth: The unified Gulf message to the world, as it was noted that all GCC delegates in international forums spoke on behalf of both their own countries and the GCC states collectively, which strengthened Gulf diplomatic efforts in those forums, and resulted in significant international support for these countries’ right to defend themselves, along with condemnation and denunciation of Iran’s unjustified attacks on the territories of states that have long sought to act as impartial mediators in Iran’s disputes with international powers and have never been advocates of war.
The Arab Gulf states are once again demonstrating their ability to manage crises in all their dimensions—security, political, economic, environmental, and media—and are once again presenting the world with a model to follow in terms of how to counter the effects of Iranian aggression and ensure the smooth and orderly functioning of their institutions, so that these states remain an oasis of security and safety for citizens and residents alike.
Dr. Ashraf Mohamed Kishk, Director of Strategic and International Studies
