Iran on Friday rejected statements made in a joint declaration issued after a meeting between the US and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), describing them as “interventionist, irresponsible and provocative.”

In a statement on Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of undermining regional security through its military presence and policies.

The ministry dismissed US assertions of a continued commitment to the security of Gulf states as “rhetoric” that distorted the reality of the region, arguing that the American military presence had become a source of instability, division and insecurity.

The ministry pointed to the use of military bases and facilities in some regional countries during the recent conflict between Iran and the US and Israel, saying the events demonstrated that Washington placed little value on regional security or bilateral relations.

Iran also called on countries in the Gulf region whose territory or facilities were used during the conflict to reassess their policies, stressing that under international law and the principles of good neighbourly relations, states have an obligation to prevent third parties from using their territory to launch military aggression against neighbouring countries.

The Foreign Ministry also rejected allegations concerning Iran’s nuclear programme, describing accusations promoted by the United States and Israel as fabricated and politically motivated.

It urged Gulf countries not to align themselves with what it called Washington’s “threat narrative” and instead support efforts to establish a nuclear weapons-free zone in West Asia.

The statement maintained that lasting peace and stability in the region could only be achieved through cooperation and confidence-building among regional states without external interference, and rejected claims that Iran posed a threat to its neighbours as part of what it described as an “Iranophobia agenda” promoted by the United States and Israel.

Tehran also condemned efforts to portray its military and defensive capabilities as a threat to the region, accusing Washington of pursuing a “divide and rule” strategy that had fuelled an arms race across the Middle East.

Reaffirming its position on national security, Iran said it would not compromise on defending its sovereignty or its defensive capabilities.

It also criticised the GCC’s alignment with the United States and Israel in describing Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups as Iranian proxies.

“The only proxy entity in the region is the Zionist regime,” the statement said, adding that the Palestinian and Lebanese struggles against occupation and apartheid were legitimate under international law.

The Foreign Ministry also held the United States, Israel and countries that supported their recent military actions against Iran responsible for heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

It stressed that the strategic waterway lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman and said arrangements outlined in the memorandum ending the recent conflict provided the operational framework for managing navigation in the area.

Concluding its statement, Tehran urged Gulf states to reconsider their security policies in light of the recent conflict, arguing that genuine collective security in the region could only be achieved through cooperation among regional countries without foreign intervention.