Iran is hastily engaging in diplomatic activities to brace for an expected Israeli retaliation following the missile attack that took place in early October. These efforts are aimed at garnering support and mitigating potential fallout as tensions between the two nations escalate.

The Iranian government is urgently engaging in diplomatic efforts with Middle Eastern countries, hoping they can help restrain Israel’s retaliation against Tehran. Iran’s anxiety is fueled by uncertainty over whether the United States can persuade Israel to refrain from attacking its nuclear and oil facilities.
Additionally, Iran’s key regional proxy, Hezbollah, has been significantly weakened by recent Israeli military operations.The United States has been in discussions with Israel regarding a response to Iran’s missile attack on October 1. U.S. officials have indicated that they do not want Israel to target Iranian nuclear or oil facilities.
In a conversation on October 10, U.S. President Joe Biden advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that any retaliation should be “proportional.”The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar have also expressed their concerns to the U.S. about the potential for an attack on Iranian oil facilities, fearing it could lead to negative economic and environmental consequences throughout the region.
On October 12, an Israeli official stated that the country’s security cabinet had not yet decided on a course of retaliation. As of last week, Israel had not provided assurances that it would refrain from targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.Israel has long been planning an attack on Iran’s nuclear capabilities, having conducted simulations of such an operation during military exercises two years ago.
There are also suspicions that Israel has been involved in the assassinations of several Iranian nuclear scientists in recent years. Additionally, Iran’s nuclear facilities have faced numerous cyberattacks, with the most notable being the Stuxnet virus that affected the Natanz nuclear site.Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned on October 9, stating, “Our attack will be powerful, precise, and extremely unexpected.
They will not understand what happened and how it happened.”Many Gulf states prefer to remain neutral in the conflict, according to an Arab diplomat. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar have informed both the U.S. and Iran that they will not allow Israel to utilize their airspace for attacks on Iran. Jordan has also committed to defending its airspace against any unauthorized incursions.
The U.S. is continuing its efforts to persuade Tehran to moderate its response in the event of an Israeli attack, according to a U.S. official.Conversely, Iran is particularly keen on securing assistance from Saudi Arabia to prevent an Israeli strike and is seeking to leverage Saudi influence with Washington to find a resolution to the ongoing crisis.Officials from both countries have met three times in less than a month. In a statement to domestic media, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed that he arrived in Saudi Arabia on October 10 to “consult on developments in the region” and “attempt to prevent Israeli actions in Lebanon and Gaza.”