Keep pulling the thread on Steven Cook.
Israel's primary objectives in its conflict with Iran are regime change, destruction of Iran's missile program, damaging its nuclear program, and degrading its ability to support proxy forces.
Saudi officials have privately complained that Iran failed to uphold its commitments following the normalization of relations brokered by China in March 2023.
Following its March 2023 normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, Iran continued to arm the Houthis in Yemen, advance its nuclear program, and support Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
After October 7th, Saudi Arabia advised Israel to ensure its military response was "relatively short and devastating" to avoid creating long-term regional hostility that would complicate future normalization efforts.
On March 23rd, President Trump announced a five-day delay on bombing Iranian oil infrastructure, citing progress in talks with Iran.
Iran's missile manufacturing capability, which was approaching 200 missiles per month, has been tremendously set back by military action from the United States and Israel.
Iran's nuclear program has been significantly set back due to military action by the United States and Israel.
For any negotiation with Iran to be considered a success, the United States must secure verifiable constraints on Iran's nuclear program and restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to the pre-conflict status quo.
Iran has established a new de facto regime in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing passage for its allies or those who pay, while blocking its adversaries.
The current conflict with Iran features an unprecedented level of military integration between the United States and Israel, with officers in joint planning cells and pilots from both nations flying missions from the same Israeli air bases.
Iran's strategy of attacking targets in Dubai, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, intended to pressure those nations to lobby the U.S. to end the conflict, had the opposite effect and caused them to coalesce against Iran.
Steven Cook predicts that Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, will make massive investments in hardening their defenses, including building bomb shelters and acquiring anti-drone technology.