A new security architecture for West Asia

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The recent Iran-United States conflict has triggered one of the most consequential strategic debates in decades. Can West Asia continue to depend on external powers for its security, or has the time come for a regional security architecture led by the region’s own countries? The war exposed the fragility of the existing security order and highlighted a fundamental contradiction: West Asia remains the world’s most energy-rich region, yet it continues to be among the least secure. 

For nearly eight decades, the United States has been the principal security provider in the Middle East, protecting monarchies while pursuing a policy of containing revolutionary Iran. American military bases, naval fleets, intelligence networks and arms sales created a security umbrella that shaped the region’s strategic landscape. 

The Iran-US war, however, has exposed the fault lines in this paradigm. Washington’s overwhelming military superiority failed to coerce Iran or establish lasting stability, despite imposing enormous economic and military costs on the country. The eventual ceasefire and diplomatic interaction underscored an important lesson: sustainable peace in West Asia cannot be built solely through military deterrence. It requires inclusive regional diplomacy. 

At the center of any future framework stand Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council states. Geography dictates that they remain neighbors regardless of political disagreements. Shared waterways, energy infrastructure and trade routes make their security indivisible. Neither side can attain lasting stability while viewing the other exclusively through the lens of rivalry. 

There are reports that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are supporting dialogue between Iran and the GCC. While such discussions remain in their early stages, they indicate a growing recognition that regional problems require regional solutions. Nevertheless,........

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