Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has maintained a firm stance toward Gulf nations while Pakistan builds a diplomatic bridge aimed at ending the conflict with the United States. On X, Pezeshkian warned Gulf governments that hosting enemy military operations threatens their security. At the same time, he praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts and told Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that trust is the key to peace. The contrast between firmness and openness defines Iran’s current diplomatic posture.
Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have been drawn into the conflict through US military bases that have been used in strikes against Iran. Tehran has retaliated with its own strikes in those countries, making Gulf territory part of the war’s active landscape. Gulf governments are managing this reality while looking for diplomatic off-ramps that do not compromise their security partnerships.
Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran does not initiate strikes and only retaliates when its economic or infrastructure assets are attacked. He told Gulf leaders that their current stance is incompatible with regional security and development. But his simultaneous engagement with Pakistan’s mediation effort shows that Iran is not opposed to a negotiated solution if the right conditions — above all, trust — can be established.
Pakistan’s diplomatic bridge-building has been recognized and praised by Tehran. Prime Minister Sharif confirmed that Pezeshkian sees trust-building as the foundational first step toward any formal negotiations. Pakistan’s foreign ministry has organized a multilateral ministerial meeting in Islamabad with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey focused on de-escalation.
Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar will lead the discussions and arrange meetings with Prime Minister Sharif. Iran has expressed genuine appreciation for Pakistan’s role as a credible peace broker. The diplomatic bridge that Pakistan is building may yet prove to be the pathway that brings the Iran-US conflict to a negotiated end.