In the wake of the attacks by the US and Israel that resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Gulf states have made only minimal public statements. This silence is indicative of the deeper political conditions in the region, which are far from democratic. Analysis from political researchers highlights that six out of the eight countries surrounding the Persian Gulf fall under the category of 'closed autocracies', hinting at a broader trend of political repression.

The Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem), a Swedish academic organization that tracks political freedom since 2000, rates countries on a scale from 0 to 1 on their 'Polyarchy Index', where 0 means fully autocratic and 1 fully democratic. The scores reveal that the political landscape in the Gulf is grim, with Saudi Arabia scoring 0.02—one of the lowest in the world—while Qatar stands slightly better at 0.09. These figures show that not only does the region lack democracy, but it also has very few voices advocating for change amidst rising tensions and conflicts.

The implications of such authoritarian governance are manifold; with no democratic means to express dissent or advocate for reform, the populations of these countries may increasingly view external threats as the main focus of their governments. The absence of dissenting voices could further entrench the established powers in these Gulf nations, perpetuating a cycle of silence and complicity in broader regional conflicts, such as the ongoing tensions related to Iran and its influence in the area.