The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects economic growth in the Persian Gulf countries to slow down due to the conflict in the Middle East. This was stated by IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozak at a regular briefing for journalists.
„In the Persian Gulf countries ... the economic situation will depend on the duration, scale and intensity of the conflict. Our preliminary assessment is that growth is expected to weaken“, she said.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were hit. The White House justified the attack, citing missile and nuclear threats allegedly coming from Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation, attacking targets in Israel. American targets in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia were also hit.