Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, has said that Iran’s actions against the region were carried out with prior planning and intent, describing them as “severe, deliberate, and calculated.”
Speaking during a panel discussion at the Gulf Creators event held at Atlantis The Palm in Dubai, Dr Gargash said the scale and execution of the attack confirmed it was not an isolated decision.
It was a strategic move, he said, carried out despite sustained Gulf efforts to de-escalate and avoid confrontation – including a unified Gulf position not to facilitate any action against Iran.
Gulf must reassess alliances after Iran’s ‘planned’ attack, senior UAE adviser says
The event, organised by the UAE Government Media Office, brought together more than 1,000 Gulf media professionals, thinkers, and content creators to discuss shaping a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) narrative that reflects the region’s priorities and values.
Dr Gargash described the escalation as a turning point for the region, “unprecedented in both scale and impact,” marking what he called a break from previous patterns of engagement. He warned that the regional landscape “will not return to its previous state.”
He noted that while Gulf states had long pursued policies of containment, recent developments had exposed the limits of that approach and reinforced the seriousness of the threat posed by Iran. “For over two decades,” he said, “the region has sought to manage this challenge through political engagement, but the scale of recent developments has fundamentally altered the equation.”
Dr Gargash said GCC cohesion during the escalation fell to one of its lowest levels, particularly when compared to previous crises, despite the scale of the threat and the need for coordinated action. He also noted that the Arab League’s response fell short of expectations.
He said the escalation had exposed deeper challenges, including fragmentation in Arab national security and diverging regional priorities, adding that the fallout had created “a deep and enduring crisis of confidence that will shape regional dynamics for decades.”
Dr Gargash underlined the continued importance of strategic alliances, pointing in particular to the role of the United States in supporting regional stability and protecting shared interests. He stressed that Iran “can no longer be addressed through traditional containment alone” and that a shift of this magnitude required “a rational, realistic, and comprehensive reassessment of Gulf relations.”
He said this reassessment must be grounded in national interests and conducted with discipline, stressing the importance of protecting the region’s security and future from external influence – particularly attempts to shape its stability through ideological agendas.
Dr Gargash said recent developments had reinforced the need to build a coherent Gulf narrative, arguing that media professionals, intellectuals, and content creators play a role in shaping awareness, influencing perception, and strengthening the region’s position in what he called an evolving information landscape. He stressed that “building a unified and credible narrative will be central to enhancing the region’s global influence.”
Concluding his remarks, Dr Gargash said that while conflict carries costs, Gulf countries had demonstrated resilience and strength. He pointed to leadership, social cohesion, economic diversification, and a strong value proposition that continues to attract investment as pillars of stability. He added that recent developments would accelerate efforts to reinforce these strengths and invest further in infrastructure capable of mitigating future risks.
