Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has placed direct responsibility on Gulf nations for enabling the spread of the Iran-US war to their territories, calling on them to deny adversaries the use of their soil. His statement, made more than a month after the conflict began, adds diplomatic urgency to an already volatile military situation. Tehran’s message is designed to shift responsibility back to Gulf governments for the escalation that has affected their own citizens.
The war has drawn in countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait, where the United States maintains a robust military presence. Attacks on Iran launched from these bases have triggered retaliatory Iranian strikes on those same nations, creating a cycle of violence that Gulf governments are struggling to contain. The repeated targeting of Gulf infrastructure has raised serious questions about the cost of hosting foreign military forces.
Speaking on X, Pezeshkian maintained that Iran does not launch unprovoked attacks, but made equally clear that any strike on Iranian infrastructure or economic assets would be met with a powerful response. His message to Gulf neighbours was unambiguous: hosting enemy forces that wage war on Iran will cost those countries both their security and their development. The statement was presented as a logical warning rooted in regional shared interest.
Pakistan’s peace efforts have gained traction in the region, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acting as a central mediator between the parties. His meeting with Pezeshkian produced the key insight that Iran requires trust to be established before any formal negotiations can take place. Pakistan has been publicly praised by Iran for its constructive and impartial engagement in the conflict resolution process.
On Sunday and Monday, senior diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey gathered in Pakistan for multilateral discussions on de-escalation strategies. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Sharif are leading their side of the talks, which aim to forge a coordinated regional approach to ending the conflict. The scope and ambition of the diplomatic effort reflect the gravity of the situation and the desire to find a lasting political solution.