Arab states of the Persian Gulf

Arab states of the Persian Gulf :

The Arab states of the Persian Gulf are the seven Arab states which border the Persian Gulf, namely:

1. Kuwait,
2. Bahrain,
3. Iraq,
4. Oman,
5. Qatar,
6. Saudi Arabia and
7. the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

All of these nations (with the exception of Iraq) are part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Why Iraq is not part of GCC:

1- GCC was formed in the aftermath of Iranian revolution, Iraq was somehow party to it (Shah and his family fled to Iran).  Perhaps the main goal of the Council was to protect the members from the threat of spreading violence.  While most all of those members were very actively supportive of Saddam's invasion of Iran, to actually have Iraq join their alliance would be tantamount to a declaration of war on Iran.

2- 6 members of the GCC are all very conservative monarchies (or sheikhdoms, to be more precise).  Iraq on the other hand, was an avowedly secular and socialist regime.

3- Iraq  did have observer status in GCC, until it was kicked out after Saddam's invasion of Kuwait.