Iran-GCC summit: What’s behind the meeting, why is Bahrain not attending?

What the report says

Iran says it will host talks in Oman on Monday with Iraq and Gulf states to discuss security around the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that remains heavily restricted amid the confrontation between Tehran and the United States. According to Al Jazeera, Iranian officials framed the meeting as an effort to improve regional understanding and reinforce security in a period of rising maritime tensions and disrupted energy supplies.

The report says the talks are linked to indirect negotiations involving Oman over safe passage, temporary shipping lanes and a possible arrangement covering transit through the strait. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the initiative reflects Tehran’s view that regional security should be handled by countries in the region rather than outside powers. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also indicated that Iran would brief participants on consultations with Muscat, while stressing that any agreement would not automatically reopen the waterway.

Bahrain has said it will not take part. Its foreign ministry said it would not join a collective meeting with Iran before diplomatic relations are restored, and argued that regional stability cannot be maintained through appeasement. Bahrain cut ties with Iran in 2016, and unlike Saudi Arabia, has not resumed relations.

The broader backdrop is a sharp decline in shipping through Hormuz, which the article says has fallen since the war involving Iran began, alongside recent incidents involving vessels in the area. The meeting matters because the strait is a critical route for global oil and gas trade and remains a major flashpoint for regional security.