Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has told Gulf leaders in unmistakable terms that security is out of reach for any country that continues to host enemy military operations on its soil. His statement, posted on X, came as the Iran-US war moved into its second month with no ceasefire yet agreed. Pezeshkian addressed his Gulf neighbors with a message that was equal parts warning and appeal.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman have been drawn into the conflict through US military bases stationed in their territory. American forces have used these bases to attack Iran, leading Tehran to retaliate with strikes inside those same countries. Gulf governments have found themselves involuntarily on the front lines of a war they did not initiate, dealing with enormous political and security pressures.
Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s no-preemptive-strike policy while making it clear that any attack on Iranian economic or infrastructure assets would be answered with force. He told Gulf leaders that the path to security and development runs through a decision to remove enemy forces from their lands. His message positions Iran not as an aggressor, but as a country responding to circumstances created by others.
Pakistan’s diplomatic involvement has been praised by Tehran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared that Pezeshkian told him trust must be established before peace talks can meaningfully begin. Pakistan’s foreign ministry has organized a multilateral meeting in Islamabad with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey to discuss strategies for de-escalating the conflict.
Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar will chair the discussions and arrange meetings with Prime Minister Sharif. Tehran has spoken warmly about Pakistan’s mediating role and its commitment to finding a peaceful resolution. The talks in Islamabad offer a genuine opportunity to move from military confrontation toward a diplomatic framework for peace.