Iran and Gulf nations pursue regional pact to stop new US conflict

Gulf nations are pursuing a wide-ranging diplomatic initiative aimed at averting another direct conflict between the United States and Iran, according to reports. The proposed plan focuses on restoring access to the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, providing sanctions relief to Tehran, and securing a major troop withdrawal by Houthi forces in Yemen.

Under the framework being discussed, Iran would move to reopen the maritime corridor within four days of international economic sanctions being removed. Dr Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s national security council, indicated that Tehran shortened this timeline from an initial seven-day proposal. Meanwhile, negotiations also seek substantial pullbacks by the Iranian-aligned Houthis, while the group insists that Saudi Arabia end its air and sea blockade on areas under Houthi control.

Although American officials are being kept informed about the negotiations, Washington continues to demand further Iranian steps. European officials have argued that allowing United Nations weapons inspectors to visit Iranian nuclear sites—including facilities affected by previous strikes—serves as an essential prerequisite for any agreement involving US President Donald Trump. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband raised the issue of readmitting inspectors during discussions in New York with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, but Iranian officials have so far resisted concrete commitments beyond agreeing to talk about nuclear matters in principle.

Instead, Tehran has prioritized assurances regarding economic relief and broader regional security arrangements. High-level delegations from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan recently visited Tehran to explore conditions for winding down the war in Yemen and establishing a durable security framework. Following those talks, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's supreme national security council, met with the Houthi envoy to Tehran, Ibrahim al-Dulaimi.

Iranian negotiators have steered discussions toward a regional non-aggression agreement that would reintegrate Iran with Gulf nations after decades of division dating back to 1979. Such a pact could eventually reduce or conclude the US military presence in the area. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi voiced support for this regional architecture, noting that bringing Iran into a cooperative framework with eight regional states could unlock major economic benefits and represents the preferred trajectory once current tensions are resolved.

Diplomats suggest that establishing a collective regional pact among the six Gulf states and Iran could help persuade Tehran to accept difficult compromises on its atomic activities. Even as regional anxieties remain high, Araghchi stated publicly this week that Iranian leaders are looking ahead to long-term postwar arrangements regardless of whether fresh hostilities break out.