Doha: A session of the Doha Forum 2025 held today discussed defense policy, security, mediation in conflicts, and peacebuilding, under the title “Iran and the Changing Regional Security Environment.”
According to Qatar News Agency, the session featured HE GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, HE former Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Director of the Institute of International Affairs in Italy Nathalie Tocci. The session was moderated by Executive Vice-President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft in Washington, Dr. Trita Parsi.
The GCC Secretary-General affirmed the Council’s keenness on Iran’s stability and prosperity, stressing that no one in the GCC wished to see Iran collapse. AlBudaiwi noted that the Gulf states had, over the past seven to eight decades, transformed into the world’s ninth-largest economy, with a collective GDP of about $2.4 trillion in 2024, and expressed the GCC’s desire to share these development experiences with Iran.
His Excellency emphasized the need to respect the principles of good neighborliness, adhere to the UN Charter, engage in dialogue, and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of other states. AlBudaiwi added that the GCC’s expectations from Iran were simple and fundamental, similar to any normal relationship between neighbors. He highlighted that Iran embodies a rich civilizational, cultural, and artistic heritage, and stressed that the Gulf states have much to offer Iran, underlining the importance of focusing on a shared future.
For his part, Mohammad Javad Zarif affirmed that Iran was capable of overcoming crises despite the challenges it had faced throughout history. He said that Iran had always been willing to engage in dialogue, referencing his 2017 proposal for a Regional Dialogue Forum (RDF) based on the UN Charter, good neighborliness, non-interference, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. He stressed the need to institutionalize the ongoing discussions between Iran and the GCC states and to build a shared vision for the future.
Tocci warned of the growing risks facing the Gulf and Middle East regions, stating that the current situation requires practical steps to strengthen stability and build confidence among states. She stressed that external interventions had contributed to complicating the regional landscape, but were not the root cause of the problem, adding that the future lies in the hands of the regional states themselves rather than external powers. She underlined the need for commitment to dialogue, cooperation, and confidence-building through concrete actions.