Bahrain Maritime Security Conference: An international coalition led by the United States to deter Iran

Ali Rajab

With the increasing frequency of tanker wars in the Persian Gulf and the Iranian international war, and the calls by the US administration of Donald Trump to form an international alliance to secure navigation, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry has unveiled a meeting to discuss maritime and air navigation security in the coming period.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed that Manama is preparing to host a meeting on maritime and air navigation security in the coming period, in cooperation with the United States of America and the Polish Republic, with the participation of more than 60 countries as one of the outcomes of the International Conference in Support of Security and Peace in the Middle East.

The Foreign Minister pointed out that this initiative comes within the framework of the role played by the Kingdom of Bahrain to contribute to the establishment of security and stability in the region and be aware of the dangers that threaten the region in light of Iran’s practices which pose a great threat to maritime and air navigation and reflect the policy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the face of all problems and crises that threaten international peace and security.

It stressed that this meeting will be an opportunity for consultation and exchange of visions between many countries in the world, to find ways to deter the Iranian threat and ensure freedom of navigation in this strategic region of the world.

According to press reports, the Bahrain conference is due to be held in October, but the timing of its announcement coincides with the increasing frequency in the Gulf and Iran’s oil tanker wars, as well as Washington’s calls to form an international coalition to counter Tehran’s threat.

International coalition

On July 9, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, said the United States had prepared a plan under which an international military alliance would protect strategic waters off Iran and Yemen after attacks on tankers and oil installations blamed on Iran.

“We are likely to determine in the next couple of weeks the countries that have the political will to support this initiative and we will do it immediately,” he said after his testimony to Congress and two meetings on the formation of the alliance, with Defense Minister Mark Esper and Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo.

“We are now in contact with a number of countries to determine whether we can form an alliance that guarantees freedom of navigation in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait,” he said.

US special envoy to Iran Brian Hawk said 65 countries would discuss Bahrain’s maritime security in Bahrain, adding that the conference expected to be held would focus on Iran’s maritime threats.

A spokesman for the US State Department said Bahrain would host a summit on maritime safety amid escalating tensions with Iran in the Gulf.

An alliance to deter Iranian threats

For his part, the Saudi writer and political analyst Fahad Dibaji, said that the Bahrain Maritime and Air Navigation Conference will be a great opportunity for consultation between many countries in the world to face the threats to the security of navigation in the world, especially the Iranian risks.

“There is no doubt that the Bahrain Maritime and Air Navigation Security Conference is of great importance at this particular time because the Iranian threats will be on the table of those present at the conference,” he said in a statement.

“It is expected that the conference will discuss the ways to face the Iranian threats to global navigation with the participation of 65 countries, and will be a great opportunity for consultation among many countries in the world, to address the risks to the security of navigation in the world, especially the Iranian risks.”

He added: “It is expected that the international community is moving to adopt an international strategy that it will be working on to amend its maritime and air legislation to secure it and find a solution to the law committed by all participating countries, which combine interests that reduce the recklessness of the mullahs in the shipping and air corridors, especially in the Strait of Hormuz now.”