Bangladesh says that joining the Saudi-led defense coalition does not pose a threat to its relations with Iran. The coalition has 14 founding members: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia. Saudi Arabia now faces risks around both of the main waterways used to move energy supplies from the Arabian Peninsula. A refusal could have created tension with a country closely linked to Bangladesh’s labor market, remittance earnings, fuel supply, and development finance. There is similarly no indication that participation in the coalition will lead to more employment opportunities for Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia.