The recent Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Jeddah marks a pivotal moment in the region’s evolving security and economic architecture. Convened in the aftermath of a prolonged and destabilizing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, the summit reflected not only on the immediate military and economic shocks of the war but also on a broader recalibration of Gulf strategy. What emerged from the discussions was a clear recognition that vulnerability exposed by conflict must now be transformed into long-term structural resilience.

Since hostilities began in late February, GCC states have operated in a near-constant state of high-level coordination. Emergency diplomatic meetings, joint regional summits with European partners, and continuous security consultations have underscored the seriousness with which the bloc has treated the crisis. Yet the Jeddah summit went further than crisis management. It was, in effect, an attempt to convert lessons learned under fire into a blueprint for the future.

At the core of the GCC’s reflection is a stark reassessment of its relationship with Iran. Historically, the Gulf states have preferred diplomacy as the primary tool for managing tensions with Tehran. Even amid deep disagreements over regional security, proxy conflicts, and ideological divides, several GCC members maintained pragmatic economic and political channels with Iran. That approach was premised on the assumption that engagement, however limited, could reduce the likelihood of direct confrontation.

The recent war, however, has significantly altered that calculation. Iranian missile and drone strikes, a substantial portion of which reportedly targeted GCC territory, have profoundly eroded trust. The sense of betrayal expressed by Gulf policymakers reflects a belief that prior restraint and openness were not reciprocated in kind. While the GCC has not abandoned diplomacy as a principle, it now increasingly views dialogue through the lens of deterrence rather than reconciliation alone. In this emerging doctrine, negotiation must be backed by credible defense capability and stronger international........

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