Gulf actors build around Hormuz closure as diplomacy stalls

September saw Gulf states and global powers invest in permanent infrastructure to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, signaling acceptance of a prolonged closure. A planned Iran-GCC-Iraq diplomatic meeting in Oman was postponed indefinitely, while the US House passed a third war-powers resolution to curb Trump's authority, though Senate passage and a veto override remain unlikely. The shift from seeking a reopening to building around the strait marks a strategic adaptation with significant energy and security implications.