As the conflict in West Asia drags on, Iran has reiterated that the country remains committed to maintaining peace in the region. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told regional leaders on Wednesday that his country is willing to de-escalate the conflict if certain conditions are met.
“In a conversation with the leaders of Russia and Pakistan, I reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to peace in the region,” Pezeshkian said in a post on X.
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Iran seeks international guarantees
According to him, Tehran needs international guarantees against future US and Israeli attacks to end the war.
He also said Iran’s legitimate rights should be recognized and the country should receive reparations.
“The only way to end this war – fueled by the Zionist regime and the US – is recognition of Iran’s legitimate rights, payment and strong international guarantees against future aggression,” he said.
Operation Epic Fury
The US and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28 against Iran, following weeks of military buildup and failed diplomatic efforts led by Middle Eastern countries.
Despite the initial strikes killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the US and Israel have failed to force regime change in Iran, which is now led by Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the late supreme leader’s hardline son.
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Thursday marks the 13th day of the West Asian conflict, with neither side showing signs of backing down as Iran says it is not seeking a ceasefire.
“We are certainly not seeking a ceasefire,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former top commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, wrote in X’s English-language post.
“We believe that the aggressor must be punished and taught a lesson that will deter him from attacking Iran again,” he added.
What Trump said about ending the war
US President Trump has so far sent mixed messages about ending the war in Iran.
Although he refused to set a time frame for ending the conflict, repeatedly saying it would be “very soon”.
According to Trump, the military operation is “ahead of schedule” and there is “virtually nothing left to target” in Iran.
While the US undoubtedly inflicted irreversible damage on Iran’s military, its nuclear program, the Ayatollah’s regime, and the IRGC survived.
In the early days of the conflict, the US had four main objectives.
Nuclear neutralization: Ensure that Iran “never obtains a nuclear weapon” by destroying its enrichment facilities and research infrastructure.
Missile Degradation: Completely “destroy” Iran’s industrial and ballistic missile production capabilities to prevent future rebuilds.
Naval Destruction: Destruction of the Iranian Navy to ensure freedom of navigation, especially in the Strait of Hormuz.
Proxy container: Dismantling Iran’s ability to arm, finance and control “terrorist armies” such as Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas.
Of this, the US achieved only the destruction of Iran’s missile program and its navy.
Trump has repeatedly said that the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader is unacceptable. However, Khamenei appears to be firmly in control of the country and the US is in no position to depose him.
What are the Gulf States doing?
The world is also beginning to feel the heat of the conflict in the form of a spike in oil and gas prices due to disruptions to shipping and Iranian attacks on facilities in Middle Eastern countries that are US allies.
Gulf economies dependent on oil and natural gas, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, also want the conflict to end sooner. Over the past few days, efforts by Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and Oman, have stepped up to reach out to Iran in an attempt to persuade the Islamic Republic’s leadership to stop firing missiles and drones at them and keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping.
Key things
- Iran demands international guarantees and recognition of its rights to end hostilities with the US.
- The conflict has significant implications for global oil and gas prices due to the disruption of shipping.
- The states of the Persian Gulf are actively trying to mediate peace efforts to stabilize the region.
