Persian Gulf states must stop 'borrowing security' from extra-regional powers: Baghaei

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has called on the Persian Gulf states to stop trying to borrow security from extra-regional powers, emphasizing that the US military presence in the area serves only as a source of instability and endangers the very countries hosting those bases.

Baghaei made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Press TV's 'Unscripted' show on Monday, reaffirming Tehran’s longstanding position that genuine and lasting security in the Persian Gulf can only be secured through indigenous cooperation among the regional states themselves, without any outside interference.

“The US military presence in the region is a liability and brings nothing but insecurity,” the spokesman stated, pointing out how Washington’s military bases have repeatedly exposed host nations to unnecessary risks rather than providing real protection.

He urged neighboring countries to pursue constructive dialogue and establish joint regional mechanisms for security, stressing that the Islamic Republic harbors no hostility whatsoever toward Persian Gulf Arab states and is fully committed to forging strong, respectful and mutually beneficial relations based on sovereignty and shared interests.

“Iranians never surrender to pressure,” Baghaei affirmed, underscoring the Islamic Republic’s resolve to defend its territorial integrity and national interests in the face of any external threats or aggression.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman made it clear that any defensive measures taken by Iran are strictly and precisely targeted at US assets and bases that are actively used to launch aggression against the Islamic Republic, and are in no way directed at regional countries themselves.

This policy, he explained, reflects Tehran’s firm commitment to avoiding escalation with neighbors while confronting the real root of regional instability, which is foreign adventurism.

Baghaei elaborates on Iran’s constructive approach to diplomacy with US

Elsewhere in his remarks, Baghaei elaborated on Tehran’s cautious yet constructive approach to diplomacy with Washington.

He explained that Iran is negotiating “in an atmosphere of extreme distrust and suspicion toward the United States,” citing unprovoked US aggressions against Iran in June last year and on February 28, even as negotiations were underway.

“We cannot forget about this bad experience,” he said, adding that Iran must remain “very alert” during diplomatic processes.

“So while we are in these diplomatic processes, we need to be very alert about the US approach towards the negotiations as a whole.”

For the time being, Tehran has chosen to focus on ending the war rather than wasting time on overly complicated issues.

Based on past experience, “we decided not to waste time on issues that have already proved to be so complicated that we couldn’t find agreements,” he said.

He added that Iran’s current priority is clear: “For the time being, we decided to focus on ending the war because it’s a matter of concern for all regions, for our nation and for the international community.”

Baghaei stressed that if the Americans are “really serious about diplomacy, they need to grasp this opportunity,” because “the whole world is waiting for them to show a minimum good faith.”

Baghaei warned that the international community “will hold the United States accountable for the consequences of their imposed war on Iran and on the region, because everyone knows that this was a war of choice by the US administration” whose “reckless move” has ramifications felt across the globe.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman’s remarks align with Iran’s consistent diplomatic stance in recent months. Persian Gulf Arab states that continue to host US military installations have increasingly come to realize that such a presence does not guarantee stability but instead turns them into vulnerable targets amid ongoing US-Israeli aggression against the region.

Iranian officials have repeatedly described these host countries as the true losers in any confrontation, bearing the brunt of potential consequences while Washington pursues its narrow agenda of protecting Israeli interests at the expense of broader regional peace and security.

Iran has long advocated the creation of a genuine regional security architecture that excludes outside powers and prioritizes the collective well-being and sovereignty of West Asian nations.

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