Gulf states' reactions to Lebanon agreement show signs of stability for region - analysis

On June 25, a day before the US, Lebanon, and Israel announced a trilateral agreement, the UAE held an important meeting with Syria’s foreign minister.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Asaad al-Shaibani, the minister of foreign affairs and expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic.

This was an important meeting. The UAE and other Gulf states are encouraged by signs of stability in Syria. They are also hopeful the new agreement in Lebanon can help pave the way for more stability in the region.

Why do they see a connection? First, because Iran also sees these areas as being connected. They also view peace and stability as having a domino effect: If progress begins in one place, it can carry implications for other places.

The US is keenly engaged on these various fronts, and the UAE is a friend of both the US and Israel.

“At the start of the meeting, al-Shaibani conveyed to Sheikh Mohamed the greetings of Ahmed al-Sharaa, president of the Syrian Arab Republic, along with his wishes for the UAE’s continued progress and prosperity,” UAE-based English-language newspaper Gulf Today reported.

“Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed entrusted him [Shaibani] with conveying his greetings to President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his wishes for Syria and its people to achieve further growth and progress,” the report said.

UAE-based news site Al-Ain News reported: “The meeting also touched on a number of regional issues and topics of common interest, most notably the developments taking place in the Middle East region.”

These reports indicate how two Abraham Accords countries are looking both north and east: north toward Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq; east toward Iran.

Gargash, the diplomatic adviser, has written about the framework with Lebanon. His views are significant because he is a key figure in the UAE.

He wrote on X/Twitter: “The Lebanese have suffered for decades from the repercussions of others’ conflicts on their land and have paid a heavy price as a result of those conflicts.”

It was important to return sovereignty to Lebanon as a key to stability and its future, Gargash wrote.

Al-Ain News reported: “The agreement has ambitious goals, including ending the existing conflict between them, ensuring the sovereignty and security of both countries, and establishing peaceful neighborly relations between Israel and Lebanon.

“Under this framework, Israel and Lebanon declare their intention to resolve their conflict permanently, address its root causes, and formally end any state of war between them.

“This framework, reached after several rounds of direct negotiations between the parties, builds upon previous successful agreements and understandings and expresses a determination to make irreversible progress toward a comprehensive resolution of all outstanding issues between the two countries.

“The two countries affirm their commitment to resolving these issues as two sovereign states through direct bilateral negotiations, mediated and supported by the United States.”

Furthermore, it’s worth noting Saudi Arabia’s role. Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have maintained close political, economic, and cultural ties for decades, although the relationship has fluctuated with the ebb and flow of regional politics.

Saudi Arabia was a major supporter of Lebanon’s reconstruction following the 1975-1990 civil war. It played a central role in brokering the 1989 Taif Agreement, which helped end the conflict and reshaped Lebanon’s political system.