Dare Babalola
Former presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba II, on Tuesday said the United States and Israel could no longer rely on the united regional front they once had against Iran, following recent geopolitical developments in the Middle East.
Garba, in a post he shared on X, claimed efforts to rebuild that alliance had failed despite what he described as attempts to pressure Gulf states into renewed hostilities with Tehran.
According to him, an alleged strike on the United Arab Emirates was used as part of a strategy to frighten Gulf nations and blame Iran for the attack.
“The objective was straightforward: frighten the Gulf states and pressure them into renewed joint hostilities against Iran. But the plan failed,” he said.
He noted that Iran denied involvement in the incident and instead accused the United States of orchestrating the attack.
Garba further claimed that some Gulf countries found Iran’s explanation more believable than Washington’s version of events, arguing that regional dynamics had changed significantly since the ceasefire.
He cited Saudi Arabia as an example, alleging that Riyadh had quietly reached an understanding with Iran aimed at protecting its Yanbu oil infrastructure and securing shipments through the Red Sea.
He also said Saudi Arabia had, for the first time, entered into an agreement with Houthi forces to guarantee safe passage for Saudi vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Garba added that most countries in the region now had little interest in any fresh confrontation with Iran, except for some factions within the UAE, where he claimed internal divisions were becoming more visible.
According to him, the latest developments show that no foreign power can sustain conflict in the region without the backing of willing local allies.
