Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has sent a clear message to Gulf countries: true security can only be achieved by adopting a neutral stance and refusing to allow the United States and Israel to use their territories as war platforms against Iran. His statement was shared on X as the conflict entered its second month. Pezeshkian appealed to Gulf leaders on the basis of their own national interests, arguing that external military reliance is undermining their stability.
The Gulf region has been dramatically affected by the war. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar host US military facilities that have been used to strike Iran, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks within those same countries. The cycle of strikes and counter-strikes has made the Gulf an active theater of a war that many of its governments hoped to stay out of.
Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran operates on a no-first-strike basis but warned that any attack on Iranian economic or infrastructure assets would trigger a strong response. He made the case that Gulf countries are not neutral — they are actively enabling the war against Iran — and that this choice carries real consequences for their own safety. His message is an invitation to change course before the damage deepens.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts have drawn praise from Tehran and attention from the international community. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Pezeshkian views trust as the necessary precondition for formal peace negotiations. Pakistan’s foreign ministry has organized a multilateral meeting of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey in Islamabad focused on de-escalation.
Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar will lead the talks and meet with Prime Minister Sharif as well. Iran has spoken warmly about Pakistan’s role and remains open to negotiations when the conditions are right. The coming days will determine whether the diplomatic effort in Islamabad can shift the region’s trajectory away from conflict.