Opposition to the U.S.-Iran agreement is growing beyond Israel, with several Gulf states reportedly conveying concerns to Washington behind the scenes that the deal could strengthen Iran rather than restrain it, according to a report by Channel 13.

Channel 13 correspondent Suleiman Maswadeh reported that while Qatar has played a leading role in the negotiations, it was also among the countries hit by Iranian attacks. Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait were also affected and have reportedly been sending messages to the United States expressing serious reservations about the agreement.

According to the report, representatives of those countries have privately told Israeli officials that they share Israel’s opposition to the deal but are currently unable to say so publicly.

Meanwhile Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting the Gulf region in an effort to reassure allies that the agreement is not final and remains a memorandum of understanding that can still be changed. According to the report, U.S. officials have also emphasized that if Iran fails to meet American expectations, the agreement could be scrapped.

Criticism has also emerged in Egypt. On the Egyptian television program “El-Hekaya,” journalist Amr Adeeb and Al Arabiya analyst Raghida Dergham sharply criticized the agreement, arguing that it largely benefits Iran and could have significant consequences for the broader Arab world.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)