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Kuwait and Bahrain have initiated contacts with the Syrian government to discuss the possibility of receiving military support against Iran, Almodon reported on July 24.
The move comes as Gulf concerns mount over a potential expansion of the United States’ confrontation with the Islamic Republic and the risk of a ground incursion.
Sources with knowledge of the matter told the Lebanese news website that Damascus has expressed preliminary approval for the request. Any implementation of such a step, however, would remain conditional on securing international approval, in light of the prevailing security and regional arrangements, the sources added.
The report came after a visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani to Kuwait, which officially centered on bolstering bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between the two countries. During the visit, al-Shibani declared Damascus’ solidarity with Kuwait and Gulf states in facing security threats.
Bahraini Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa also made a trip to Damascus recently, where he met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
For several weeks, Iran has concentrated its retaliatory attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, both of which host U.S. military bases.
A recent report by *The Wall Street Journal* revealed that the two states quietly deployed fighter jets to strike targets inside the Islamic Republic earlier this month with backing from the United Arab Emirates. Fear of Iranian escalation after this move may be one reason why they are now seeking military support from Syria.
There have indeed been clear signs that the Islamic Republic could act much more harshly against both Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iranian MP Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a former member of the parliamentary National Security Commission, recently said that Tehran could launch ground attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain if the U.S. invaded Iranian territory.
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, now a member of parliament, also said Tehran should go further than striking U.S. military bases in the region and consider capturing American soldiers.
“The U.S. threats have intensified, and it has said that it will seize Kharg Island and take control of Iran’s oil facilities,” Mottaki said.
“I have been advocating for a ground war for a long time. We should seize one of the US bases in the region, capture its forces, and bring them back to our country,” he added.
Shia Muslims constitute a large portion of the population in both Bahrain and Kuwait, which means even a temporary raid by Iranian forces could bring about the end of the monarchy there.
Both states apparently see the rising Islamist-led government in Syria as a counterweight to Iran, especially since it is led by rebels who fought forces backed by the Islamic Republic for over a decade. For this exact reason, U.S. President Donald Trump has been openly weighing the idea of asking Syria to intervene in Lebanon against Hezbollah, a close ally of Iran.
Such a move could, however, bring disastrous consequences to Syria. The country, which is still torn by its civil war, could become the center of a wider regional sectarian conflict. And taking into account Tehran’s military superiority, this is not likely to end well for Damascus.
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