Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has deployed what can be described as war diplomacy, issuing a message to Gulf states that functions simultaneously as a diplomatic appeal and a military warning. The statement, released more than a month into the Iran-US conflict, reflects Tehran’s determination to use every available instrument to manage the war’s regional dynamics. Iran is clearly not content to let the military conflict define its relationships with Gulf neighbours.
Countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have been sucked into the war primarily through their hosting of American military infrastructure. US operations against Iran launched from these bases have led Tehran to strike back at those same host nations. Gulf governments are now facing a situation where their security alliance with the United States is generating direct military threats to their own populations.
Pezeshkian posted on X to outline Iran’s core military position: no first strikes, but a guaranteed and powerful response to any attack on its infrastructure or economic centres. His appeal to Gulf leaders framed the choice in terms of their own futures, warning that allowing enemies to direct the war from their land would forfeit their development and security. The message was both a deterrent and an invitation to reconsider existing alignments.
Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement has been one of the most substantive contributions to the search for peace, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acting as a key intermediary. Sharif’s meeting with Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran sees trust as the non-negotiable starting point for any formal dialogue. Tehran’s public praise of Pakistan’s peace role has enhanced Islamabad’s standing as a neutral and credible actor.
A critical multilateral meeting in Pakistan is gathering senior diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. Working alongside Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Sharif, these officials are focused on developing a coordinated approach to de-escalating the conflict. The talks are seen as a potential breakthrough moment in the international effort to end the war.