Iran's neighbors are actively trying to prevent a new war and are making multiple diplomatic trips to Tehran. These movements reflect their concerns about the consequences of insecurity in the region.
Increased Diplomatic Traffic
The joint visit of the Saudi Defense Minister, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, and the Head of Turkey's Intelligence Organization to Tehran, alongside diplomatic contacts from Qatar and Doha negotiations, is a sign of the region's countries' intensive efforts to prevent a new round of conflict. These countries are concerned about the consequences of a new war for their economies and security and are seeking a way to contain the crisis and bring Tehran and Washington closer to an agreement.
Read more: Sergei Lavrov and Iran-Russia Cooperation Amid Sanctions
Bitter Experiences of the Past
The experience of the twelve-day war in June ٢٠٢٥ and the forty-day war that followed has shown the regional countries that the confrontation between Iran, the United States, and Israel has consequences beyond the borders of the involved parties. Insecurity in trade routes, disruption of energy exports, and increased import costs are among the repercussions that the neighbors have also inevitably borne.
Hamid Reza Azizi, a senior analyst on Iran at the International Crisis Group, believes that the visit of senior officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to Tehran indicates that countries that have failed to contain the costs of war are now trying to play a more prominent role in ending the conflict through more direct involvement in the diplomatic process.
However, Mohsen Rezaei, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, claimed that in these meetings, only regional security was discussed, and neither the "Mecca Agreement" nor the issue of Yemen was mentioned. But reports published in Western media indicate that broader topics, including the possibility of reaching an agreement between Iran and the United States, were also discussed.
Ultimately, the bargaining power of the neighbors depends on the level of coordination among them. Disagreements and rivalries among these countries can make it difficult to form a common position and pose challenges to the implementation of any agreement. As a result, although a shared concern about the consequences of war has prompted the regional countries to engage in more diplomatic activity, their limited capacity and differing viewpoints mean that the gap between this shared concern and the formation of sustainable cooperation for establishing a new security order remains significant.
Read more: Deep Divide Between Government and People of Azerbaijan Over Hijab Ban · Iran and Saudi Agreement Could Lead to End of Yemen Blockade
