Leaders across the Gulf are increasingly concerned that the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement being negotiated by the Trump administration could leave them more vulnerable to Iranian aggression and permanently reshape the region’s balance of power, according to a CNN analysis.

The report says Gulf nations—including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait—have grown increasingly uneasy following this year’s conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, during which Iranian attacks reached several Gulf countries.

Analysts cited by CNN say confidence in the United States as the region’s security guarantor has been significantly weakened.

“The image of America as a strategic ally that can always be relied upon is now being seriously questioned in the Gulf,” said Firas Maksad of Eurasia Group.

Among the Gulf states’ biggest concerns is the reported framework of the proposed agreement, which would reportedly give Iran a formal role alongside Oman in overseeing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital waterway for global oil exports.

Regional leaders are also troubled that the reported agreement does not address Iran’s ballistic missile program or its network of terrorist proxies across the Middle East.

Last week, President Donald Trump defended Iran’s ability to retain missiles, saying, “It’s fair that Iran has missiles if Saudi Arabia has them.”

The report also cites concerns over a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran. Trump has suggested Gulf nations could help finance the effort, although Saudi officials reportedly say they have not been formally briefed on such a proposal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait this week in an effort to reassure America’s longtime allies.

“We want them involved in discussions on every major decision,” Rubio said. “We will not do anything that undermines the security of our longstanding allies in the region.”

A senior Gulf diplomat told CNN that the recent war demonstrated Iran has an operational plan to strike Gulf states, prompting several countries to begin exploring alternative military suppliers and strengthening their own independent deterrent capabilities.

Despite their concerns, Gulf leaders reportedly still prefer a diplomatic agreement over renewed war, believing that even a flawed deal is better than another regional conflict.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)