Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has told Gulf neighbours that the key to their own security lies in their hands, specifically in their decision to deny US and Israeli forces the use of their territory. His statement came as the war between Iran and the United States stretched past its first month. The message positions Gulf governments as having more agency in this conflict than is often acknowledged.
The war has ensnared Gulf nations by virtue of the American military presence embedded in countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman. Attacks on Iran originating from these locations have triggered Iranian retaliatory strikes on those same host countries. The resulting insecurity has forced a reckoning among Gulf governments about the true cost of their security alliances.
Pezeshkian posted on X to outline Iran’s two-part message: Iran will not initiate attacks, but will respond with force to any strikes on its critical infrastructure or economic assets. He then appealed to Gulf leaders, arguing that true security and development would only come if they refused to allow enemies to direct military operations from their land. The message was pragmatic and framed in terms of rational national self-interest.
Pakistan’s diplomatic campaign to end the war has gained significant traction, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif playing a central role. Sharif’s engagement with Iranian leadership confirmed that trust-building is Iran’s top precondition for entering any formal negotiation. Pakistan’s approach has been praised by Tehran as a model of balanced and constructive diplomacy.
In Pakistan, a key diplomatic gathering is underway with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey attending. The meetings with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Sharif are geared toward coordinating a regional response to the conflict. The scale and seriousness of the diplomatic effort reflects the region’s urgent need for a political resolution to the ongoing war.
