Saudi Arabia has remained steadfast in honoring its peace agreement with Iran, brokered and sponsored by China. This accord has contributed to achieving progress on several regional issues, particularly efforts to persuade the Houthis to accept prisoner-exchange arrangements and to de-escalate tensions in Yemen. In contrast to the spirit of this agreement, Iran has continued attempts to destabilize the region by directing Hezbollah to violate Lebanese state sovereignty, disregard the principle that the state alone possesses the authority to decide matters of war and peace, and obstruct the process of disarmament. Tehran also instructed the Houthi group to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea. These misguided actions ultimately resulted in the destruction of Hezbollah’s capabilities, the elimination of its leadership, beginning with its former Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, and the targeting of Houthi missiles along with their military and security commanders. Thus Iran awoke to the realization that it had lost its most important card: regional influence. It was both surprising and astonishing that Iran, in the midst of its confrontation with the United States and Israel, would deliberately strike peaceful neighboring Arab Gulf states, brazenly targeting foreign embassies, airports, and vital civilian facilities. This occurred despite the fact that several of these countries, such as Oman, maintain deep-rooted and historic ties with Tehran. Iran also launched missiles at Saudi Arabia—the very country that had been the first to urge US President Donald Trump to abandon the option of war and pursue solutions through negotiation and diplomacy. Targeting US embassies in the Gulf countries may prove to be the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back,” particularly as the US president warned Tehran of a swift response and a heavy price should such actions continue. Confronted with a succession of painful blows, the Islamic Republic—which since its inception declared it would never negotiate with the “Great Satan”—appeared to be pleading for dialogue with the United States, notwithstanding its more than 40-year history of behind-the-scenes and occasionally public negotiations. Each time Iran has sought to assert what it perceives as its right to destabilize the region and the wider world, provoking both regional and international powers, it has ultimately faced crippling repercussions from the Western states led by the United States. Its stubborn pursuit of the “bomb” dream resulted in repeated strikes against it, culminating in the penetration of its ranks by Israeli intelligence and the exposure of its most guarded secrets. Its leaders, hiding in Tehran, became easy targets, culminating in the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the new minister of defense, and numerous security officials. The 12-day war in June 2025 represented the greatest catastrophe to befall the Iranian people as a consequence of the miscalculations of their leadership. Iran’s political, security, and military misjudgments appear to be committed recklessly and without adequate consideration of their grave consequences. The latest example is the decision to target Gulf and Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia. Such an act amounts to punishing peaceful neighboring countries for a war that Iran itself precipitated through its misguided policies, actions, and conduct. The Kingdom has been keen on informing Tehran that it will not allow any power in the world to use its territory as a base for attacks against Iran. Yet those driven by malice, hatred, and envy appear to believe that striking Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab states is the most suitable course of action. Anyone who thinks in such a manner would require the consultation of psychiatrists to purge such animosity from their hearts and regain their humanity and sound judgment. It is obvious that Saudi Arabia is known for honoring its commitments and for exercising prudence before adopting positions. Nevertheless, the reckless behavior of the Iranian regime served as a stark warning of the dangers inherent in dealing with it, particularly given its readiness to resort to ballistic missiles shortly after the visit of its Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to Riyadh seeking ways to avert the catastrophe that his country had brought upon itself. The official Saudi statement issued on Saturday, February 28, 2026, was precise in characterizing the Iranian attack on the regions of Riyadh and the Eastern Province as a “blatant and cowardly attack.” The Kingdom affirmed that the repetition of such an unjustified assault flagrantly violates all international norms and laws, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1961 Vienna Conventions, which guarantee the inviolability of diplomatic premises and their personnel even in times of armed conflict. Anyone who sends ministers and officials to your country only to betray you by launching missiles at your land and its people deserves nothing less than to be described as “cowardly” and “mad.” The region can no longer tolerate the recklessness of such “madmen.” Iran before February 28 will not be the same as Iran after!Saudi Arabia has remained steadfast in honoring its peace agreement with Iran, brokered and sponsored by China. This accord has contributed to achieving progress on several regional issues, particularly efforts to persuade the Houthis to accept prisoner-exchange arrangements and to de-escalate tensions in Yemen. In contrast to the spirit of this agreement, Iran has continued attempts to destabilize the region by directing Hezbollah to violate Lebanese state sovereignty, disregard the principle that the state alone possesses the authority to decide matters of war and peace, and obstruct the process of disarmament. Tehran also instructed the Houthi group to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea. These misguided actions ultimately resulted in the destruction of Hezbollah’s capabilities, the elimination of its leadership, beginning with its former Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, and the targeting of Houthi missiles along with their military and security commanders. Thus Iran awoke to the realization that it had lost its most important card: regional influence. It was both surprising and astonishing that Iran, in the midst of its confrontation with the United States and Israel, would deliberately strike peaceful neighboring Arab Gulf states, brazenly targeting foreign embassies, airports, and vital civilian facilities. This occurred despite the fact that several of these countries, such as Oman, maintain deep-rooted and historic ties with Tehran. Iran also launched missiles at Saudi Arabia—the very country that had been the first to urge US President Donald Trump to abandon the option of war and pursue solutions through negotiation and diplomacy. Targeting US embassies in the Gulf countries may prove to be the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back,” particularly as the US president warned Tehran of a swift response and a heavy price should such actions continue. Confronted with a succession of painful blows, the Islamic Republic—which since its inception declared it would never negotiate with the “Great Satan”—appeared to be pleading for dialogue with the United States, notwithstanding its more than 40-year history of behind-the-scenes and occasionally public negotiations. Each time Iran has sought to assert what it perceives as its right to destabilize the region and the wider world, provoking both regional and international powers, it has ultimately faced crippling repercussions from the Western states led by the United States. Its stubborn pursuit of the “bomb” dream resulted in repeated strikes against it, culminating in the penetration of its ranks by Israeli intelligence and the exposure of its most guarded secrets. Its leaders, hiding in Tehran, became easy targets, culminating in the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the new minister of defense, and numerous security officials. The 12-day war in June 2025 represented the greatest catastrophe to befall the Iranian people as a consequence of the miscalculations of their leadership. Iran’s political, security, and military misjudgments appear to be committed recklessly and without adequate consideration of their grave consequences. The latest example is the decision to target Gulf and Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia. Such an act amounts to punishing peaceful neighboring countries for a war that Iran itself precipitated through its misguided policies, actions, and conduct. The Kingdom has been keen on informing Tehran that it will not allow any power in the world to use its territory as a base for attacks against Iran. Yet those driven by malice, hatred, and envy appear to believe that striking Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab states is the most suitable course of action. Anyone who thinks in such a manner would require the consultation of psychiatrists to purge such animosity from their hearts and regain their humanity and sound judgment. It is obvious that Saudi Arabia is known for honoring its commitments and for exercising prudence before adopting positions. Nevertheless, the reckless behavior of the Iranian regime served as a stark warning of the dangers inherent in dealing with it, particularly given its readiness to resort to ballistic missiles shortly after the visit of its Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to Riyadh seeking ways to avert the catastrophe that his country had brought upon itself. The official Saudi statement issued on Saturday, February 28, 2026, was precise in characterizing the Iranian attack on the regions of Riyadh and the Eastern Province as a “blatant and cowardly attack.” The Kingdom affirmed that the repetition of such an unjustified assault flagrantly violates all international norms and laws, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1961 Vienna Conventions, which guarantee the inviolability of diplomatic premises and their personnel even in times of armed conflict. Anyone who sends ministers and officials to your country only to betray you by launching missiles at your land and its people deserves nothing less than to be described as “cowardly” and “mad.” The region can no longer tolerate the recklessness of such “madmen.” Iran before February 28 will not be the same as Iran after!
The region can no longer tolerate Iran's madness
