Four major Gulf powers — Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar — are reportedly discussing the possibility of withdrawing from contracts and future investment commitments in the United States as the economic fallout from the ongoing Iran war deepens.
According to a report by the Financial Times, officials from the oil-rich Gulf nations have begun reviewing overseas investments and exploring whether they can invoke “force majeure” clauses to cancel or scale back certain agreements.
The move is said to be part of broader efforts to ease mounting financial pressure caused by the regional conflict, which has strained government budgets, disrupted energy exports, and forced higher defense spending.
A Gulf official quoted in the report said the war could affect a wide range of financial commitments, including investment pledges, business contracts, sponsorships and holdings abroad — particularly if the conflict continues at its current pace.
The escalating crisis follows the wider 2026 Iran war, which erupted after U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region, shaking energy markets and threatening shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Analysts warn that if Gulf states significantly scale back investment flows into the United States, it could reshape global financial ties between Washington and some of its wealthiest Middle Eastern partners, whose sovereign wealth funds hold hundreds of billions of dollars in international assets.
