Gulf States Postpone Strait Of Hormuz Talks With Iran

Gulf states have postponed a meeting with Iran on the future of the Strait of Hormuz, citing a lack of Arab consensus and rising Saudi anger over Tehran’s support for the Houthis in Yemen.

The decision comes as Houthi forces stepped up attacks on Saudi targets. A Houthi spokesperson said its units struck the King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait, damaging fighter-jet hangars, radar systems, runways and landing strips, ammunition depots and other facilities.

Yemen Clashes Drive Wider Regional Tensions

Saudi anger has been sharpened by developments in Yemen and by pressure on Riyadh’s energy infrastructure. Last week, militias backed by Tehran in Iraq forced Saudi Arabia to close an east-west pipeline, a route Saudi Arabia had used to export oil, after Iran effectively curtailed access through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held urgent talks in Jeddah with US Central Command chief Adm Brad Cooper, Saudi media reported. The discussions were aimed at reviewing “the latest developments in the region”. US media reports last week said bin Salman sought military assistance from Donald Trump to help counter the Houthis, with US support so far limited to logistics and intelligence.

GCC-Iran meeting Delayed at Last Minute

The Gulf Cooperation Council meeting with Iran was deferred at short notice, delaying work on a proposed arrangement for a temporary shipping route if the strait is reopened. Oman’s foreign minister, Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, said the meeting had been delayed “in the interests of consensus” and said on X that his country remained committed to dialogue that supports stability and lasting cooperation.

The proposed framework would not have delivered an immediate reopening of the strait. Iran has set additional conditions, including US steps to lift restrictions on Iran’s oil ports, the transfer of frozen Iranian assets, and a ceasefire in Lebanon.

The meeting would have been the first between Iran and the main GCC members for two years. It was expected to formalise Iran’s control of the waterway because the entry route for commercial shipping would have been entirely within Iranian waters.

Washington has not publicly taken a position on the proposed agreement. Some of Trump’s recent social media posts, which claimed the US would have full control of the strait, appeared to conflict with what shipping firms have been reporting.

Pipeline Damage and Iran Denial

The meeting atmosphere had deteriorated quickly as the conflict in Yemen advanced, alongside an earlier drone strike on the Saudi pipeline. Satellite imagery released by Vantor Technologies showed damage to the pumping station for the east-west pipeline near Al Mesba’ah in Saudi Arabia, which appeared to be almost destroyed.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson denied Iranian involvement in the pipeline attack and in events in Yemen. The source text also said US military bases across the Gulf have been targeted by Iran in response to the wider Iran conflict.

Saudi Aims to Regain Momentum in Yemen

Saudi Arabia supports the UN-recognised Yemeni government based in Aden and is seeking to regain momentum after Houthi forces swept down the west coast last week from the port of Hodeidah. The Houthis also seized the Bab al-Mandab strait, a channel linking the Red Sea with Asia that is seen as second only to Hormuz in strategic importance.

It was reported that Saudi air strikes have made it more difficult for the Houthis to fully control the Yemen waterway and strategic islands in the Red Sea.

The Houthi leadership says it is not trying to block all commercial shipping through the Red Sea, but targeting ships linked to Saudi Arabia. It has also offered reduced port fees in areas under its control on Yemen’s west coast, aiming to divert traffic from ports run by the Aden-based government.

The Yemen government said early figures from the latest Houthi advance indicate 150 civilians were killed and 200 others were injured. The UN said around 85,000 people have been displaced.

Join the discussion?

15 September 2026