Iranian FM urges Muslim nations to 'rely only on ourselves'

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday called on Muslim countries to rely on themselves and strengthen regional solidarity, saying unity among regional states was the best way to confront external threats. In a post on the social media platform X, Araghchi said Iran's armed forces had demonstrated their "readiness, capability and might" against what he described as "the world's most expensive military."

"When Muslims stand together, we can face every challenge by malicious outsiders head-on," Araghchi said. "It is time to rely only on ourselves and embrace true brotherhood," he added, emphasizing the need for regional cohesion.

Gulf States Pivot to Regional Security

Araghchi's remarks came as Iranian officials have increasingly promoted regional security arrangements led by countries in the region rather than foreign powers. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said earlier on Friday that Gulf countries had increasingly concluded that regional security should be ensured by the countries of the region themselves.

Gharibabadi noted that Gulf leaders had already shown the political will to launch a new regional dialogue process, including through a proposed meeting of Gulf foreign ministers, and that such a process could move forward if peace and stability return to the region. Meanwhile, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement on Friday in Mecca stating that "any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all."

Background of Conflict and Stalled Talks

Regional tensions escalated on Feb. 28, when Israel and the US launched coordinated attacks on Iranian military, nuclear and energy infrastructure. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli and US targets across the region, triggering a conflict that has disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and claimed thousands of lives.

Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 through Pakistani and Qatari mediation, ending active hostilities and launching negotiations toward a final agreement. The talks later stalled over disputes concerning maritime security and freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway.