5 Top Points
- EU designates Iran’s IRGC as a terrorist organisation: The Council of the EU formally added the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to the EU terrorist list, marking a significant escalation in Europe’s Iran posture and likely sharpening the risk environment for Gulf de-escalation diplomacy.
- GCC-EU engagement tightens ahead of Brussels track: GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi met the EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Christophe Farnaud, in Riyadh to review EUGCC relations and implementation of the Joint Action Programme (2022-2027).
- UAE-India AI partnership jumps to ‘strategic infrastructure’ scale: Abu Dhabi announced it will deploy an 8-exaflop national-scale AI supercomputer in India, following the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi’s participation in the India AI Impact Summit.
- Gulf diplomacy pivots to conflict-settlement mechanisms: Qatar joined the first meeting of a ‘Peace Council’ and pledged 1 billion USD to support settlement efforts, while Oman participated as an observer at the inaugural meeting at the invitation of the US President Donald Trump.
- UAE-Bahrain humanitarian coordination to Gaza scales up: The UAE and Bahrain jointly dispatched an urgent 100-tonne aid shipment to Gaza via Al-Arish for onward entry through Rafah.
‘Round and About the Gulf’
Kingdom of Bahrain
Thursday, 19 February – Bahrain International Circuit began hosting F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026, reinforcing Bahrain’s strategy of leveraging global sports and major events for tourism, services growth and international visibility.
Friday, 20 February – Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa attended a major national race event in Manama, part of a wider pattern of high-profile engagement during Ramadan-adjacent public programming.
Friday, 20 February – Bahrain’s Royal Humanitarian Foundation, working with UAE channels, dispatched the 100-tonne Gaza relief shipment via Al-Arish, emphasising Bahrain’s continued humanitarian posture on Palestine during Ramadan.
State of Kuwait
Saturday, 21 February – Kuwait’s Prime Minister Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah sent official congratulations to Saudi King Salman on the Kingdom’s Founding Day, illustrating the routine but politically meaningful GCC etiquette that sustains top-level ties.
Sultanate of Oman
Wednesday, 18 February – Omani official messaging marked the start of Ramadan, with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik exchanging greetings with leaders on the advent of the holy month, reinforcing Muscat’s diplomatic habit of steady, low-drama engagement.
Friday, 20 February – Oman participated as an observer in the inaugural meeting of a Board/Peace Council at the invitation of Trump, reinforcing Oman’s ‘quiet convenor’ profile in international diplomacy.
State of Qatar
Wednesday, 18 February – Qatar’s Cabinet held its regular meeting at the Amiri Diwan under the chairmanship of Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani, reflecting routine governance continuity at the start of Ramadan.
Wednesday, 18 February – Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received Ramadan well-wishers at Lusail Palace, part of usual political-social signalling in the holy month.
Friday, 20 February – Qatar joined the first Peace Council meeting on Friday and added 1 billion USD to the peace process, a sign of Doha’s use of finance and diplomacy in conflict-management branding.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Wednesday, 18 February – Saudi official channels declared that Ramadan would open today 18 February, and it marked the national rhythm of public sector operations and social programming.
Wednesday, 18 February – Saudia sign-up to a five-year strategic partnership with Six Flags and Aquarabia (Qiddiya City), emphasizing the Kingdom’s push to grow domestic tourism and entertainment as an economic engine away from oil.
United Arab Emirates
Wednesday, 18 February – The UAE declared 18 February as the first day of Ramadan and set the policy tempo for the month.
Wednesday, 18 February – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received US Senator Lindsey Graham, demonstrating ongoing UAE-US interaction on regional security files.
Wednesday, 18 February – The UAE’s president ordered the release of 1,440 prisoners for the purpose of Ramadan and agreed repayment of associated financial demands,mthe typical Ramadan signals of a national social policy.
Wednesday, 18 February – Dubai said it will present its second edition of Dubai AI Week 2026 in April, further underpinning the UAE’s ‘AI as governance and economy’ narrative.
Friday, 20 February – In Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received Hungary’s Chief National Security Adviser, Marcell Bíró, highlighting the UAE’s stepped-up engagement with European security interlocutors.
Friday, 20 February – Abu Dhabi unveiling plans to deploy an 8-exaflop AI supercomputer in India and tied to UAE participation in India AI Impact Summit
Friday, 20 February – The UAE sent 30 tonnes of food aid to drought-affected communities in Kenya reinforcing the UAE’s outward humanitarian posture in Ramadan.
Friday, 20 February – UAE and Bahrain have together delivered the 100-tonne Gaza relief cargo through Al-Arish.
EU Corner
The decision of the Council to consider the IRGC on the EU terrorist list is a critical change signal in European policy with regard to Iran. For Gulf allies, it increases the premium on coordination on sanctions-compliance exposure, regional escalation-mitigation and the defence of maritime trade routes.
GCC Secretary-General’s meeting with the EU Ambassador in Riyadh marked ongoing efforts to implement the EU-GCC Joint Action Programme 2022-27, as well as an active diplomatic calendar in Brussels to attend, the EU-GCC line is slowly shifting from episodic contacts to scheduled sequencing.
Council releases during such times highlight structured preparation for future Council meetings and dossiers, including Middle East working-party planning, mirroring the fact that this was already embedded in EU foreign-policy workflow even while maintaining EU foreign-policy workflow on Gulf-associated files.
Key Official Visits & Contacts
Wednesday, 18 February (Abu Dhabi): US Senator Lindsey Graham met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
Wednesday-Friday, 18-20 February (New Delhi): Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed made an official flight to India, on behalf of UAE President to meet with India from 18 to 20 February, for the India AI Impact Summit.
Friday, 20 February (Abu Dhabi): Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was offered the induction of Hungarian chief national security adviser Marcell Bíró.
Friday, 20 February (Doha): Qatar attended the first Peace Council meeting at the time of the opening, pledging 1 billion USD for settlements; Oman was an observer at the first meeting.
Monday, 23 February (Riyadh): GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi addressed EU Ambassador Christophe Farnaud on a new day to discuss strengthening relations between the EU and the GCC and on the progress made so far with regard to Joint Action Programme.