In a commentary published Friday, The Zioneer questioned the wisdom of a proposed regional blockade against Iran, noting that a similar Saudi-led blockade of Qatar — a far smaller country — collapsed after four years. The analysis suggests that any coalition planning such a move should consider the precedent of the 2017–2021 Qatar crisis.
The commentary draws on the 2017–2021 Qatar diplomatic crisis, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism. The blockade was lifted in 2021 after Qatar refused to capitulate, and the blockading states eventually admitted failure. The Zioneer's analysis suggests that those now considering a similar strategy against Iran — a far larger and more militarily capable country — should weigh this historical lesson. The piece was published against the backdrop of ongoing regional coalition-building discussions, which The Zioneer has previously covered, including reports on a potential joint military operation against Iran and the Houthis, and on Iran's retaliatory strikes against Gulf states.
3 developments
- DevelopingThe Zioneer analysis: Qatar's strategic neutrality collapses as Iran targets its sovereign territory
- DevelopingThe Zioneer analysis: Israel stands aside as regional powers clash across the Middle East
- DevelopingThe Zioneer analysis: US strikes on Iran not deterring regime, Hormuz blockade continues
- DevelopingThe Zioneer: Iran sees recent event as 'very bad', thwarting strait plans, weighs response
Source and signal
- Open-source intake