Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a stern warning to neighbouring Gulf states, urging them to prevent the United States and Israel from conducting military operations on their soil. The message came as the Iran-US conflict entered its second month, drawing in several regional nations. Pezeshkian’s statement signals Tehran’s growing frustration with the role Gulf countries are playing in the ongoing war.
The conflict, now more than a month old, has pulled countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar into its orbit. American military bases located in these nations have reportedly been used to launch strikes against Iranian territory. This has prompted Tehran to retaliate with its own strikes targeting those countries.
Pezeshkian made his position clear in a post on X, stating that Iran does not launch preemptive attacks but will respond forcefully if its infrastructure or economic centres are hit. He directed a pointed message at Gulf neighbours, warning them that allowing enemies to conduct the war from their soil would cost them their development and security. The tone was firm but stopped short of an outright declaration of escalation.
Pakistan has stepped in as a key mediator in the conflict, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meeting Pezeshkian to discuss pathways to peace. Sharif reported that the Iranian president stressed the need for trust before any formal negotiations could begin. Pakistan’s efforts have been praised by Tehran as a constructive contribution to regional de-escalation.
On Sunday and Monday, foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey were scheduled to convene in Pakistan to discuss the ongoing hostilities. Their meetings with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Sharif aimed to find common ground on ending the conflict. The international diplomatic push underscores how widely the war’s effects are being felt across the region.