The Impact of the Normalization of Relations between Israel and the Arabic States of the Persian Gulf on the Foreign Relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran with Countries in the Region

In recent years, the process of normalizing diplomatic relations between the Zionist regime and some Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, particularly the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and to some extent Saudi Arabia, has become one of the most significant and impactful geopolitical developments in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region. These developments, which particularly intensified after the signing of the agreements known as the "Abraham Accords" in 2020, have led to substantial changes in the security order, power balance, and alignment of regional alliances. The Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the key regional actors, views this process as a direct threat to its strategic, security, and geopolitical interests. The primary objective of this research is to examine the impact of the normalization of relations between Israel and the Persian Gulf Arab countries on the foreign relations (particularly political and security relations) of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the countries of the region. The research problem is defined as follows: What impact has the normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf had on the orientations, behavioral patterns, and foreign policy approaches of the Islamic Republic of Iran in its interactions with the countries of the region, particularly its southern neighbors? In order to answer this question, the main hypothesis of the research states that the normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab countries has led to the disruption of the regional strategic balance in favor of Israel, an increased focus by the Arab countries on security issues rather than economic cooperation with Iran, and the strengthening of new security alliances involving Israel. This process is expected to weaken the regional position of the Islamic Republic of Iran.The methodology of this research is qualitative and based on a descriptive-analytical approach. Data collection was carried out through library sources, official documents, strategic analyses, think tank reports, and academic articles. To analyze the data and explain the phenomenon under study, the theoretical framework of the Copenhagen School of security studies was used. This theoretical school focuses on the concept of "securitization," meaning how an actor introduces a particular issue (in this case, Iran) as a security threat, thereby increasing the legitimacy of its actions against it. Based on this theoretical framework, Iran has been portrayed as a source of threat in the political and security discourse of some Arab states and Israel, which has contributed to the intensification of its diplomatic isolation and the increase of security pressures on the Islamic Republic of Iran. The findings of the research indicate that, prior to the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, the process of normalizing relations had led to increased security, intelligence, and military interactions between Israel and certain Arab states, such as the UAE and Bahrain. These collaborations were organized with the goal of countering common threats-one of which was considered to be Iran—and were implicitly supported by the United States. As a result, Iran’s regional role and influence in some Arab countries diminished, political and security alliances centered around Arab states and Israel were formed, and diplomatic pressures against Iran increased. Furthermore, the prospect of economic cooperation between Iran and some Persian Gulf countries weakened, while these countries shifted their focus toward collaboration with Israel in the areas of technology, cybersecurity, energy, and trade. However, the Gaza war and the events following October 7, 2023, led to changes in this process. Hamas’s extensive attack on Israel and the heavy military response from the regime provoked outrage among the Arab world’s public opinion, prompting some Arab governments to halt or slow down the formal normalization process in order to avoid internal pressure
and preserve their legitimacy. Nevertheless, it appears that behind-the-scenes security cooperation continues. In response to these developments, the Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified its efforts to strengthen its military capabilities, increase diplomatic interactions with regional allies, and utilize hybrid warfare tools and multilateral diplomacy to counter emerging threats. The final conclusion of the research indicates that the normalization of relations between Israel and the Persian Gulf Arab countries, particularly in the period before the Gaza war, led to a weakening of Iran’s regional position, a reduction in diplomatic relations with some Arab states, and the formation of new anti-Iran security blocs. Although the Gaza war led to a halt in the formal normalization process, the threats to Iran did not decrease and, in fact, prompted a strategic review in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As a result, Iran has been compelled to expand its deterrence doctrine, increase interactions with the axis of resistance, and make greater use of public diplomacy and indirect resistance tools in order to withstand new security challenges and redefine its regional influence.