Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has set out a clear condition for reducing regional tensions: Gulf nations must stop hosting American and Israeli military operations on their soil. The statement, posted on X over a month into the Iran-US war, reflects Tehran’s strategic view that the Gulf states are not neutral bystanders but active enablers of the conflict. Pezeshkian’s language was firm but framed in terms of the region’s collective interest.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar have all experienced Iranian strikes in response to US military operations conducted from their territory. These retaliatory attacks have transformed the Gulf into a secondary front in a war between Iran and the United States. For Gulf governments, the situation presents both a security emergency and a political dilemma.
Pezeshkian used X to lay out Iran’s military logic: no preemptive strikes, but strong retaliation against any attack on the country’s infrastructure or economy. He then spoke directly to Gulf governments, framing the removal of foreign war operations from their territory as the essential first step toward regional stability. The message was both a demand and an argument grounded in mutual interest.
Pakistan’s diplomatic leadership in the region has been broadly welcomed. Prime Minister Sharif confirmed that his conversation with Pezeshkian revolved around the critical role of trust in enabling any future negotiations. Iran’s acknowledgment of Pakistan’s efforts has added weight to Islamabad’s peace initiative.
A significant diplomatic summit in Pakistan has brought together foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey to discuss the path forward. Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar is at the helm of the discussions, which are described as detailed and constructive. The meeting is seen as the most promising diplomatic development in the conflict to date.