NATO PA Defence Committee Visit Spotlights Bahrain’s Key Role in Gulf Security  

NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood, particularly the Middle East, faces interconnected challenges and persistent instability with direct consequences for Euro-Atlantic security. The Hamas attack on Israel, the subsequent war in Gaza, Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, and shifting fault lines in Syria have intensified regional volatility. Meanwhile, Iran and its proxies continue to threaten maritime routes and energy flows, and terrorist networks remain active. These dynamics are reshaping the security environment across the Southern Neighbourhood and beyond, demanding closer attention from Allies and partners. 

Against this backdrop, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Future Security and Defence Capabilities (DSCFC) visited Manama, Bahrain, from 16–19 November to examine how the Kingdom is adapting to these shifts, strengthening its stabilising role, and bolstering its security through closer defence ties with the United States and the United Kingdom. 

Bahraini officials stressed that Iran’s aggressive regional posture remains the principal threat. Despite recent degradation of Iran’s defences and its network of armed group agents, it continues to disrupt shipping via its Houthi proxies in the Red Sea while rebuilding missile and drone capabilities. Delegates were reminded that the Gulf hosts the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints: 20 million barrels of oil pass daily through the Strait of Hormuz, while the Bab el-Mandeb handles 10–12% of global trade and hosts 90% of undersea cables connecting Europe with Asia. Threats in the region range from non-state armed groups such as the Iran-backed Houthis to revisionist states like Iran, and to a lesser extent, Russia. 

Officials highlighted Bahrain’s strategic value as a steadfast Western ally. Its early adoption of the Abraham Accords, participation as the sole regional actor in Operation Prosperity Guardian (a U.S.-led multinational military operation formed in response to Houthi attacks against shipping in the Red Sea), and quiet diplomatic efforts—including facilitating dialogue among rival actors and stabilising contacts in Sudan—demonstrate a consistent commitment to regional stability. 

Bahrain’s security confidence rests on durable U.S. and U.K. partnerships. Long-standing basing arrangements have evolved into a broader security ecosystem, regarded as indispensable to regional equilibrium. Agreements such as the 2023 Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA) with the United States and United Kingdom show how Bahrain is actively modernising these ties, deepening cooperation in defence, cyber, and emerging security domains to strengthen both national and regional resilience. 

During an audience with Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa, Commander of Bahrain’s Royal Guard and National Security Advisor, members learned of the Kingdom’s forward-looking defence policies. Prince Nasser emphasised resilience as central to maintaining local and regional stability and highlighted Bahrain’s investment in capabilities across economic and defence sectors, with deeper partnerships forming a key element of its future strategy. 

DSC Chairman Lord Lancaster (United Kingdom) stressed that the visit demonstrated the Gulf’s vital role in global peace and stability. He also underlined the importance of fostering stronger political dialogue with NATO partners and aspiring partners across NATO’s Southern Flank. Bahrain, he noted, continues to serve as a vital bridge between the Gulf and broader Euro-Atlantic security. 

Lord Lancaster chaired the delegation consisting of sixteen members of parliament from nine Allied nations.  

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is institutionally separate from NATO but serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance. 

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