Iran president says West Asia has no need for U.S. ‘policeman’
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that West Asia does not require U.S. intervention, emphasizing regional autonomy. The statement comes amid ongoing tensions and a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following a conflict that began in early 2026.
Why it matters
The ongoing conflict and control of the Strait of Hormuz have significant implications for global oil prices and geopolitical stability in the Middle East.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday (September 12, 2026) that West Asia does not need the United States to be a “regional policeman”, with the two countries at war and vying for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
“We do not need a regional policeman,” he said on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in India during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
“The territorial integrity and security of the region can only be guaranteed by its main players and the countries that comprise it,” he added, according to the Iranian presidency.
Iran has been at war since February 28, when U.S.-Israeli strikes killed its supreme leader.
The Islamic republic retaliated with attacks across the region and blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil previously flowed.
Iran and the U.S. have since been vying for control of the strategic waterway.
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