From Territorial Dispute to Diplomatic Partnership

The 1970s were marked by the Dhofar Rebellion in Oman and various Marxist movements in the region. Both the Shah and the Emir were deeply conservative monarchs who feared "red" influence. This shared fear led to intelligence sharing. Bahrain, though small, provided a strategic listening post in the heart of the Gulf, which was invaluable to the Iranian security services at the time.