Don't let US use your territory to attack Iran, Pezeshkian urges Gulf states
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on Gulf and other neighbouring countries not to allow the United States to use their territory for attacks against Iran, while insisting that Tehran does not consider countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE its enemies.
In an exclusive interview with India Today's Group Editor (Foreign Affairs) Geeta Mohan, Pezeshkian said Iran's dispute was with the US military presence in the region, not with the Arab countries themselves.
Pezeshkian has objected to US military bases in the region being used to launch attacks against Tehran.
He said the UAE and other regional countries were "our brothers" and that Iran had maintained relations and trade ties with them for a long time.
"We have no problems with the UAE. We have no problem with any of the regional countries. We have problem with the American bases located in these countries, and from which they are attacking our country," he said.
He said friendly and neighbouring countries should not allow their territory to be used to attack Iran.
"The UAE, the Emiratis, and other countries of the region are our brothers. We have been living together for a long time. And we have had trade. We have supported each other," Pezeshkian said.
Pezeshkian said the US had established bases in regional countries and accused it of using those bases to attack Iran.
He said the attacks had targeted Iranian infrastructure as well as the country's leaders, commanders and people.
"So this is the U.S. who has come here and established bases. And from those bases, they martyr our children. They attack our infrastructure and target our leaders, commanders, and people," he said.
Pezeshkian said Iran currently had good relations with the UAE and wanted to expand them. He added that Tehran wanted sincere relations with other regional countries as well.
"We would like to have a sincere relation with all of them," he said.'US WANTS TO PIT US AGAINST EACH OTHER'
Pezeshkian accused the US of preventing stronger ties among countries in the region. He said Washington wanted to use the region's petroleum resources while selling weapons and missiles to countries there.
He also accused the US of trying to create divisions among regional countries and use their differences against each other.
"And the reason is that they want to utilise our petroleum reservoirs of the region. And instead, they are selling weapons and missiles to the region," Pezeshkian said.
He said regional countries could instead cooperate and use their collective strength to support one another, establish security and help their people.
"We, with the neighbouring and regional countries, can share our powers in order to help each other and establish security and help our people," he said.- EndsPublished By: Anuja JhaPublished On: Sep 12, 2026 20:08 IST
