It’s easy to see why there’s an enduring attraction for a regional security dialogue in the Middle East. Countries in the region face shared and borderless challenges — including terrorism, insurgency, environmental safety, arms races, cybersecurity, maritime piracy, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction — that can be dealt with more effectively through multilateral measures.
Such a regional framework is now incredibly important because it could either make or break any deal the Biden administration forges with Iran to limit its nuclear program. Indeed,
even the most reasonable U.S.-Iran nuclear accord will have a low chance of pacifying the region and being accepted by Washington’s regional partners if it is not accompanied by comprehensive security talks that address, among other things, Iran’s ballistic missiles and proxy threat network. Naturally, such talks require a regional forum in which ideally all key regional powers participate.