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Trump vs Iran: Gulf allies fear US ‘help’ may unleash chaos
Qatar and Saudi Arabia are urging against military action, even as the US president teases that ‘help is on its way’
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Washington’s Middle East allies are bracing for what they fear could be “catastrophic” consequences if the United States moves militarily against Iran – a possibility US President Donald Trump again dangled this week by promising Iranian protesters that “help is on its way”.
Despite Trump’s vow of support, analysts warn that even a sustained US air campaign would be unlikely to unseat Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime.
The US president’s rhetoric has followed a now-familiar arc, echoing his conduct ahead of last June’s 12-day Israel-Iran conflict: alternating between threats of military action and periodic hints at renewed diplomacy.
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While the US did not initially participate in that conflict, it ultimately intervened by striking Iranian nuclear enrichment sites, disabling them and bringing an end to hostilities.
Trump says China and other countries trading with Iran to face additional 25% tariffs
Trump says China and other countries trading with Iran to face additional 25% tariffs
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump announced that he had cancelled informal talks between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, which had tentatively gone ahead even as Iran was convulsed by days of anti-government unrest.
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A day earlier, he unveiled a 25 per cent tariff on all countries maintaining trade with Iran – including India and China.
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