Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has framed the eviction of US and Israeli forces from Gulf territory as an act of self-preservation for those countries, warning that security cannot coexist with hosting enemy military operations. His statement on X came as the Iran-US war stretched past one month with no signs of resolution. Pezeshkian directed his message specifically at Gulf leaders, appealing to their own national interest.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman have found themselves embedded in the conflict through American military installations that have been used to strike Iran. Tehran has retaliated with attacks in those countries, turning the Gulf into a secondary front of the war. Gulf governments now face an extraordinarily difficult diplomatic and military balancing act.
Pezeshkian stated that Iran’s military doctrine is strictly defensive and retaliatory, not offensive. He warned that any strike on Iranian economic centers or infrastructure would provoke a strong Iranian response. His appeal to Gulf nations to remove enemy forces is wrapped in the argument that their own development and security require it.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts have gained recognition and praise from Tehran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Pezeshkian told him trust must be established before peace talks can begin in earnest. Pakistan’s foreign ministry has organized a major ministerial meeting in Islamabad with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey, focused on strategies for de-escalation.
Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar will lead the talks and also facilitate meetings with Prime Minister Sharif. Iran has acknowledged Islamabad’s constructive engagement and remains open to diplomacy under the right conditions. The Islamabad meetings will be a critical indicator of whether regional diplomacy can build the momentum needed to end the war.
