Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi used a post on X on Friday to urge Muslim states to rely on themselves and strengthen regional solidarity, saying Iran’s armed forces had “demonstrated their readiness, capability and might” against “the world’s most expensive military”. “When Muslims stand together, we can face every challenge by malicious outsiders head-on,” he wrote, adding: “Time to rely only on ourselves and embrace true brotherhood.” The remarks came hours after Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defence pact at a summit in Mecca, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was not immediately clear whether Araghchi’s message was a direct response to that agreement or a broader call for Islamic unity, as several reports noted.

The statement lands against a backdrop of regional conflict that began on 28 February, when Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military, nuclear and energy infrastructure, according to Anadolu Agency reporting cited by Bernama. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israeli and US targets across the region. Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding on 18 June, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, to end hostilities and open negotiations toward a final agreement. Those talks have since stalled over disputes concerning maritime security and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Friday that Gulf states increasingly recognise that regional security should be ensured by the region’s own countries. He added that Gulf leaders have already shown political will to launch a new regional dialogue process, including a proposed meeting of Gulf foreign ministers, and that such a process could proceed if peace and stability return to the region. No further details were provided on the timeline or agenda of that initiative.

The status of the proposed Gulf dialogue remains unclear, and US–Iran negotiations remain stalled over maritime and navigation disputes. The immediate next step, beyond the continued regional discussion of self-reliant security, has not been specified by any of the parties involved.