Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has publicly accused Gulf states of allowing the United States and Israel to wage war against Iran from their territory, warning that this choice comes with serious security consequences. The accusation was made through a post on X as the conflict between Iran and the US stretched beyond one month. Pezeshkian urged these countries to reverse course if they want peace and development.
The Gulf nations most implicated — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman — all host American military installations that have been used in attacks against Iran. Tehran has responded with retaliatory strikes inside those countries, escalating the conflict and creating instability across the region. For Gulf governments, the war has created an unprecedented diplomatic and military dilemma.
Pezeshkian reaffirmed that Iran’s military actions are strictly retaliatory, activated only when Iranian infrastructure or economic centers are attacked. He argued that Gulf nations, by allowing enemy forces to operate from their soil, are not neutral but actively complicit in the war against Iran. His message called on them to choose regional solidarity over continued alignment with foreign military powers.
Pakistan’s growing diplomatic influence has been recognized by Tehran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared that Pezeshkian told him trust is a non-negotiable prerequisite for negotiations. Pakistan’s foreign ministry is hosting a multilateral ministerial meeting with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey’s foreign ministers in Islamabad to explore de-escalation strategies.
Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar will lead the talks and meet with Prime Minister Sharif separately. Tehran has expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s role as a credible peace broker. The diplomatic process now has momentum, and the Islamabad meetings could produce the trust-building measures Iran has identified as essential for any peace agreement.