Iran in the View of the Persian Gulf Emirates.

The Persian Gulf has recently enjoyed political stability due to Irans emergence as a regional power and Arab-Iranian cooperation. But perceptions of the four small Arab states of the lower Gulf Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman, of how Iran is managing its leading role, are crucial to the continuation of Gulf cooperation. Historically there has been an even process of ebb and flow of Arab and Iranian control over the Gulf. From the perspective of the four Arab states of the lower Gulf the following are potential problem areas in their relations with Iran conflicting nationalisms outside influences Israel the Gulf Arabs image of Iran Iranian minorities in the Gulf and the Iranian military buildup. There are two possible models for future political relations in the Gulf.