Iran seeks regional alliances against Israel amid Gaza conflict - analysis

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been on a regional tour, on a mission to improve Iran’s ties with Saudi Arabia, and cement ties with Iraq, Oman, and Qatar – all with the goal of ensuring Israel’s isolation. This extends to Iranian officials visiting Lebanon and Syria and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin; Iran is trying to put together a regional and global alliance against Israel.

On Sunday, Araghchi met Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in Iraq. Their discussion extended beyond just Iran-Iraq relations to focus on Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza. His trip came on the backdrop of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq seeking to attack Israel with drones.

He then went to Oman, a state that recently conducted joint military drills with Iran. Iranian media stated that Araghchi discussed Israel’s “genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.” He met Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi as Iran “embarked on intensive talks with regional nations in a bid to hold the Israeli regime accountable for the ongoing war in Gaza,” Iranian state media IRNA noted.

In Oman, the Iranian envoy also met with Mohammad Abdul Salam, a spokesperson and negotiator for the Houthis, which controls parts of Yemen and is backed by Iran.

Iran urges regional allies to unite

Araghchi “exchanged views about the alarming situation in the region and urged an immediate end to the Israeli regime’s genocide and aggression in Gaza and Lebanon,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said. Araghchi also said that “indirect talks between Iran and the United States mediated by Oman have been suspended because of the situation in the region. Currently, the Muscat process is on hold due to specific regional circumstances, and we do not see ground for these discussions until we can overcome the ongoing crisis,” according to IRNA.

Iran is very open about how it is seeking to “mobilize” regional countries against Israel. As Jerusalem focuses on wars on multiple fronts, Iran pushes diplomacy with one hand and backs the fronts with the other.

“We presented a general assessment of the previous two regional trips investigated the special and dangerous situation in the region caused by the Zionists’ military adventure, the war crimes against Lebanon, and the genocide against the residents of Gaza,” Araghchi said about his trip to Iraq. Tehran hopes that Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Lebanon, Syria, and Russia will all back its attempt to isolate Israel.