Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has leveraged the human cost of the ongoing war to press Gulf states on their decision to host US and Israeli military operations, arguing that their populations are suffering the consequences of choices made by their governments. His message, delivered more than a month into the Iran-US conflict, is designed to create political pressure on Gulf governments from multiple directions simultaneously. Tehran is clearly exploiting the war’s human toll to advance its diplomatic objectives.
The human cost of the war has been significant across the Gulf region, with nations including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman experiencing the direct effects of both US military activities and Iranian retaliatory strikes. Gulf populations have borne a significant portion of this cost, raising questions about the wisdom of their governments’ current security arrangements. The mounting human toll has created growing political pressure on Gulf leaders.
On X, Pezeshkian affirmed Iran’s non-preemptive military stance while making clear that any attack on Iranian infrastructure or economic assets would be met with a strong response. He appealed to Gulf leaders to act in the interest of their own populations by denying enemy forces access to their territory, arguing that this was the only path to development and security. The appeal to human cost was deliberate and politically shrewd.
Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement has been one of the most active in the region, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif serving as an effective intermediary between Iran and other parties. His meeting with Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran insists on trust as the foundational requirement for any formal peace negotiations. Pakistan’s role has been praised by Tehran, reinforcing Islamabad’s credibility as a neutral actor.
A major multilateral diplomatic consultation in Pakistan is drawing together foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. Their discussions with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Sharif are focused on developing practical strategies for ending the conflict. The meeting is being described as one of the most significant diplomatic events of the war.