Oman Calls for New Gulf Security Framework After Tanker Attacks

Foreign Minister Badr Al-Boussaïdi called for a comprehensive overhaul of the Gulf's security architecture on July 14, 2026, following a war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Writing for Le Monde, Al-Boussaïdi described the conflict as "a catastrophe" and argued that the longstanding policy of containing Iran has proven to be a "myth" and fundamentally flawed.

He proposed a new, inclusive security system comprising Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, and Iraq. This proposal follows the collapse of a Qatar- and Pakistan-brokered ceasefire on July 8, which ended after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the truce had expired.

Simultaneously, the Omani Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This statement followed reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations that two oil tankers were attacked while transiting the waterway's southern route. Oman emphasized a need for "transparent and neutral cooperation" based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to ensure maritime stability.