Resilient Connectivity through Crisis: New Gulf Infrastructures after the Iran Conflict and Opportunities for Italian Engagement
In light of the ongoing transformations in the Gulf – which have accelerated processes of diversification and adaptation, encouraging governments and economic actors to invest in land, rail, port and digital connectivity – this project (September 2026-June 2027) aims to analyse the reconfiguration of infrastructure networks in the region. It will assess the regional and international implications of these changes and identify potential areas for cooperation between Italy, the Gulf states and other partners involved in emerging connectivity initiatives. The research will map key rail, port, energy and digital projects in the region (including the Gulf Railway, Hafeet Rail, the Saudi Landbridge and development programmes for Omani and Saudi ports on the Red Sea) and examine the impact of crises on the chokepoints of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb and Suez. It will also identify sectors where the Italian industrial sector can contribute – such as engineering, construction, logistics, energy and advanced technologies – while reflecting on the role of middle powers in the governance of economic corridors, including in the context of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
The findings from a closed-door roundtable to be held in the Gulf in late 2026 – organised in collaboration with the Gulf Research Center, the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, the Center for International Policy Research and the Maritime Research and Consultation Center – will be incorporated into a policy brief. Scheduled for publication in early 2027, this brief will be shared with the Analysis and Planning Unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the diplomatic advisors to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
The second edition of the Med-Gulf Summit is scheduled for 2027. The summit was established to strengthen Italy’s role as a forum for dialogue between the Mediterranean and the Gulf – two increasingly interconnected regions. The first edition, held at the IAI on 24 June 2026, brought together, behind closed doors, advisors, negotiators and experts from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar and Turkey, alongside representatives from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and the UNHCR. Discussions focused on major regional crises (Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz), as well as negotiation prospects and mediation opportunities. A dedicated session also engaged IAI’s corporate members and partners – from the finance, energy and defence sectors – on issues concerning economic development and regional infrastructure. The second edition aims to consolidate this network of high-level negotiators and interlocutors – a network that can be activated during both stable periods and times of crisis – while further exploring the nexus between security, economic growth and connectivity, as well as the coordination of diplomatic initiatives, infrastructure projects and development strategies, in synergy with the research on Gulf corridors.
Finanziamento: Ministero degli Affari esteri e della Cooperazione internazionale, Fondazione CSF/Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo