While Iran continues to warn Gulf states about the consequences of hosting US and Israeli military operations, peace talks are simultaneously gaining momentum through Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed both dimensions in a public post on X and through a conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The dual diplomatic and military messaging came as the Iran-US war passed the one-month mark.
Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have become entangled in the conflict because American forces stationed in their territory have struck Iran. Tehran has responded with retaliatory strikes in those countries, complicating the diplomatic situation and raising concerns about wider regional instability. Gulf governments are under intense pressure to find a way out of the conflict.
Pezeshkian reiterated Iran’s defensive military posture, saying that preemptive strikes are not part of Iran’s strategy but that retaliation for attacks on Iranian infrastructure or economic centers is guaranteed. He warned Gulf governments that their security depends on refusing to host enemy forces. His warning came alongside Iran’s continued retaliatory strikes in the region.
Pakistan has won praise from Tehran for its mediation efforts. Sharif confirmed that Pezeshkian stressed the need for trust as the essential foundation for any peace talks. Pakistan’s foreign ministry has organized a multilateral meeting of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey in Islamabad to discuss de-escalation and pathways toward peace.
Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar will lead the discussions and also arrange meetings with Prime Minister Sharif. Tehran has commended Islamabad’s sincere engagement in the peace process. The talks in Islamabad, combined with Iran’s firm diplomatic messaging, suggest a complex but active effort to bring the conflict toward an eventual resolution.