Haaretz: The region will witness a less US Presence… Greater Turkish role after the end of the Iran war
Following the US-Israeli war on Iran, the countries of the region may turn to reduce their dependence on the United States, while Türkiye will emerge as a pivotal actor in the regional security architecture, according to the Israeli Haaretz newspaper.
On Sunday, Haaretz newspaper published an analytical article by Elad Giladi of the Department of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the University of Haifa, titled: “Iran’s War May Create a New Regional Order: Less American Presence, Greater Turkish Role.
With the outbreak of the war, countries in the region began to make radical changes in their defense strategies, the analysis said, pointing out that they sought, through diplomatic contacts behind closed doors, to find ways to minimize security dependence on the United States.
He stressed that the Gulf states in particular are seeking to reformulate their approaches in the areas of security and alliances, adding, “Türkiye seems to be playing a pivotal role in developing this trend”.
The analysis indicated that Türkiye has recently taken its relations with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE to a strategic level.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s approach, which he previously expressed by saying, “If the countries of the region do not solve their problems themselves, external powers will impose their interests,” has found echoes in Riyadh and other Gulf capitals, he said.
He explained that the development of Türkiye’s defense industries provides the Gulf states with an alternative to diversify their sources of security away from the United States.
The analysis showed that the Gulf states don’t intend to sever their relations with the United States entirely, but seek to redefine them so that Washington isn’t the sole security guarantor, but a partner within a broader system.
He noted that the war that broke out with the US and Israeli attacks on Iran could represent a turning point that strengthens Türkiye’s influence.
“This war is likely to be remembered not only from the perspective of the balance of deterrence between Israel and Iran, but also as the moment when the Gulf states began to explore the possibilities of building a regional order from within, by gradually and cautiously reducing their security dependence on the United States”.
The analysis claimed that the Gulf states share some concerns about Iran, especially in light of the prospects of a response, but at the same time they are careful not to appear in the same political camp as Israel.
He concluded that this reality could lead to Israel remaining outside of the new regional arrangements that might be formulated, centered around a central role for Türkiye.
