The current Middle East crisis extends beyond a bilateral US-Iran confrontation and involves deeper regional dynamics, particularly Iran’s aggressive policies toward its neighbors.

Despite repeated Arab and Gulf efforts to maintain dialogue and promote diplomacy—including Saudi-Iran rapprochement and interventions to restrain US escalation—Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on Gulf states and continued support for proxies such as the Houthis.

The author argues that lasting improvement in Gulf-Iranian relations requires Iran to abandon hegemonic ambitions, end reckless behavior, and engage neighbors according to principles of international law and genuine good-neighborliness.

The current crisis cannot be reduced to a mere US-Iranian dispute that has recently escalated into a direct confrontation. It is inaccurate to frame the entire situation as a deep-rooted misunderstanding between Tehran and Washington. While the US-Iranian dimension of the crisis is significant, dangerous and critical, it is not the only dimension.

Iran is a major power in the Middle East. It is a state with a deeply rooted history and a strategic position that qualifies it to play prominent roles, particularly given its substantial economic capabilities. In this sense, Iran, much like others, can be viewed as a historical and geographical reality that must be coexisted with.

Iran has the right to a prominent role in this pluralistic Middle East. This region is supposed to accommodate Arabs, Turks, Persians and Kurds. It is also supposed to accommodate Sunnis, Shiites, Christians and Jews. In the history of this region, as in the history of Europe, for example, there are dark chapters, wars and injustices; however, the ailments of history can only be treated through the art of learning from them and by transitioning from the dream of hegemony........

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