Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has drawn attention to the price Gulf nations are paying for hosting US and Israeli military operations, warning that the cost to their security and development will only grow if they continue on this path. His message, delivered as the Iran-US war exceeded one month, aims to highlight the direct connection between Gulf nations’ hosting choices and their vulnerability to Iranian retaliatory strikes. Tehran is clearly seeking to leverage the conflict’s spillover to shift Gulf policy.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have all experienced the costs of the conflict through both the disruption caused by US operations on their soil and Iranian counterstrikes that followed. Gulf governments are now confronting the human, economic, and political toll of a war that has been partly fought on their territory. The situation has raised difficult questions about the long-term value of their security alliances.
Pezeshkian communicated on X that Iran’s military policy is strictly reactive, pledging strong retaliation for attacks on Iranian infrastructure or economic centres while affirming that Iran will not initiate hostilities. He then directed a pragmatic appeal to Gulf leaders, warning that allowing enemies to direct the war from their soil would cost them their security and prospects for development. The message was designed to resonate with both the governments and populations of Gulf nations.
Pakistan has emerged as a key diplomatic actor in the conflict, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif facilitating dialogue between Iran and other regional parties. Following his meeting with Pezeshkian, Sharif noted that Iran sees trust as a necessary condition for any peace talks to proceed. Pakistan’s role in the peace process has been endorsed by Tehran, which has praised Islamabad’s constructive engagement.
A critical diplomatic gathering in Pakistan is bringing together foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey to coordinate their response to the conflict. Working with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Sharif, these officials are focusing on practical de-escalation measures. The meeting is seen as a potential turning point in the international diplomatic effort to end the war.
