Saudi Arabia Proposes Gulf-Iran Nonaggression Pact

Saudi Arabia has proposed a nonaggression pact between Gulf states and Iran to stabilize the Middle East following the recent U.S.-Israeli war with Tehran, according to diplomats familiar with the discussions.

The initiative, still in early stages, draws inspiration from the 1975 Helsinki Accords, which eased Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union, the United States, and European nations through agreements on security, borders, and cooperation. Riyadh has raised the idea in talks with allies, aiming to prevent a weakened Iran from lashing out unpredictably amid a potential drawdown of U.S. forces in the region. European governments and EU institutions have expressed support, viewing it as a means to avert future conflicts and secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The proposal emerges from a six-week conflict that ended in early April after Iranian drone and missile attacks targeted Saudi territory, oil infrastructure, civilian areas, and U.S. bases hosted by Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia conducted covert strikes on Iranian drone and missile sites in March, while the UAE took similar independent actions. An informal...