[Gulf States Reassess Security Dependence as Regional Defense Landscape Shifts Post U.S.-Iran War] BlockBeats News, June 15: Following the framework ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, the Middle East has entered a phase of de-escalation. However, Gulf states are reexamining their long-standing reliance on U.S. security commitments. According to *The New York Times*, during the nearly four-month-long regional conflict, Iran and its allies launched attacks on multiple countries, including Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE, targeting military and energy infrastructure and temporarily disrupting the normal operations of the critical Hormuz Strait shipping channel. Although tensions have eased, analysts point out that the U.S.'s performance in defending against Iranian drone and missile attacks, as well as its inadequate response to the risk of a Hormuz Strait closure, has raised new doubts among Gulf states about the reliability of the U.S. "security umbrella." Sanam Vakil, head of the Middle East program at the Chatham House think tank, stated, "U.S. security guarantees are no longer as reliable as they once were." Some Gulf state officials have disclosed that their governments have begun discussing ways to reduce their reliance on U.S. security alone, including strengthening defense cooperation with European and Asian countries, while promoting regional military coordination and weapons procurement integration. Bader al-Saif, a historian at Qatar University, noted that Gulf states possess sufficient financial resources and technological capabilities and should accelerate the development of independent defense systems while enhancing regional joint defense mechanisms to improve overall security resilience. Analysts believe that this war may accelerate the diversification of Gulf states' security strategies, maintaining military cooperation with the U.S. while gradually expanding a broader international security cooperation network. [Original Link]