TEHRAN – Kamal Kharrazi, head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, has called for serious and sustained dialogue between Iran and its Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf, citing a growing sense of rationality and political maturity across the region.

peaking on Thursday at the “Persian Gulf in Light of Regional and International Developments” conference in Tehran, Kharrazi said: “Given the maturity now evident among regional states, there is a real need for dialogue between Iran and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf. Iran has always sought this engagement.”

The conference was held to mark National Persian Gulf Day, observed annually on the 10th of Ordibehesht—the second month of the Iranian calendar—typically corresponding to April 30. The date commemorates the 1622 victory of Shah Abbas I of Iran, whose forces expelled the Portuguese navy from the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

While highlighting Iran’s hard power capabilities, Kharrazi said the time has come to prioritize soft power—through diplomacy, cultural engagement, and regional cooperation. He called attention to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, particularly since the October 7, 2023 events, as a stark reminder of the need for regional unity.

“Israel’s actions are part of a larger Zionist strategy—one aimed at territorial expansion from the Nile to the Euphrates,” he warned, citing historical Israeli statements after the 1967 war.

Kharrazi reiterated Iran’s support for earlier initiatives like the “Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE)” and the newer “Amity Plan (Muslim West Asian Dialogue Association),” which aim to foster dialogue among Iran, Iraq, and the six Arab Persian Gulf states without foreign interference.

He noted that UN Security Council Resolution 598 calls for the establishment of such a forum, though it has yet to materialize. “Now more than ever, with shared threats and economic challenges, the time is ripe for renewed collective action,” he said.

Additionally, Kharrazi revealed that Tehran will soon host a high-level Iran-Arab Dialogue Summit at the Center for Political and International Studies. The event is expected to draw participants from several Arab nations, as well as Iranian intellectuals and researchers.

“This is a unique opportunity to present a new, strategic image of Iran,” he said. “The future of the region lies in cooperation—across energy, technology, culture, and even security—and Iran is ready for it.”