Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has publicly blamed the Gulf nations hosting American military forces for enabling the ongoing instability in West Asia. In a statement posted on X, Pezeshkian urged these governments to deny the US and Israel the ability to conduct war from their soil, arguing that doing so is the key to achieving security and development. The message came as the Iran-US war moved into its second month.
The impact of the conflict on Gulf nations has been significant. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar have all been struck by Iranian missiles in response to US operations conducted from their territory. Tehran insists these are defensive strikes, not acts of aggression, and that the root cause lies in the foreign military presence in the region.
Pezeshkian’s post on X reiterated that Iran will not attack first but will respond powerfully to any threat against its infrastructure or economic centers. He then directed a clear message at Gulf governments, telling them that hosting the enemy’s war is incompatible with their own goals of stability and growth. The message was as much a call to regional realignment as it was a military warning.
Pakistan has been praised by Iran for its role in attempting to broker peace in the region. Prime Minister Sharif confirmed that Pezeshkian stressed the importance of trust in any negotiation process during their bilateral conversation. Pakistan’s ongoing mediation has elevated Islamabad’s profile in the region significantly.
A regional summit hosted by Pakistan is bringing together the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey for in-depth discussions on resolving the crisis. Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar is facilitating the talks, which officials say are substantive and wide-ranging. The world is watching to see if this diplomatic effort can provide a path forward.