Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has put development and security on the line for Gulf governments, warning that both are at risk as long as these countries continue to host US and Israeli military operations. His statement on X, made over a month into the Iran-US conflict, tied the region’s economic and security future directly to the choices Gulf leaders make about foreign military presence. The stakes Pezeshkian identified are as high as they can be.
Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have been drawn into the conflict through American military installations that have served as launchpads for strikes against Iran. Tehran has retaliated with attacks in those countries, threatening the development and security that Gulf governments have worked for years to build. The war’s economic and security impact on the Gulf is growing with each passing week.
Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran does not conduct preemptive attacks and only retaliates when its economic or infrastructure assets are struck. He put development and security on the line by arguing that Gulf nations cannot pursue either while hosting foreign military campaigns against their neighbors. His message is a direct warning that the prosperity Gulf governments have built is being jeopardized by their current strategic choices.
Pakistan’s mediation has drawn recognition and praise from Tehran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Pezeshkian told him trust must be established before any peace talks can meaningfully begin. Pakistan has organized a multilateral ministerial meeting in Islamabad with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey focused on de-escalation strategies.
Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar will lead the discussions and facilitate meetings with Prime Minister Sharif. Tehran has praised Islamabad’s constructive and sincere approach to the peace process. The Islamabad talks represent the most promising diplomatic opportunity yet to redirect the region’s energy from military conflict toward the development and security that all countries in the region need.