Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has put the squeeze on Gulf nations, making it clear that continuing to host US and Israeli military forces will cost them their future security and development. His message, delivered more than a month into the Iran-US war, is one of the most direct and pressure-laden diplomatic communications Tehran has directed at its neighbours. Iran is clearly willing to use all available diplomatic tools to shift Gulf policy.
Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have been caught in a deepening crisis through their hosting of American military operations against Iran. Iranian retaliatory strikes against those host nations have created a cycle of violence that is steadily eroding regional stability. Gulf governments are desperate to find a way out of a conflict that is spiralling beyond their control.
Pezeshkian posted on X to deliver his squeeze, affirming Iran’s non-preemptive but firmly retaliatory military stance while making an explicit appeal to Gulf leaders. He told them plainly that their future depended on stopping the facilitation of the war against Iran from their territory. The directness and pressure of the message were unmistakable.
Pakistan’s diplomatic role has been central and effective, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif serving as a trusted intermediary between Iran and other regional parties. Sharif’s meeting with Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran sees trust as the foundational requirement for any formal peace negotiations. Pakistan’s contributions have been praised by Tehran.
A significant multilateral diplomatic gathering in Pakistan is bringing together foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey for intensive consultations on the conflict. Their discussions with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Sharif aim to produce a coordinated regional response to the war. The talks are one of the most important diplomatic events of the conflict.