Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged the creation of a new security framework with Gulf countries following retaliatory strikes that Iran said targeted U.S. bases in the region.

Speaking during a news conference in Baghdad, Araghchi said the goal should be an arrangement that includes all countries in the region while avoiding the “presence or interference” of any country from outside the region.

He also warned that any attempt to adopt arrangements separate from what Iran is pushing for—particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz—would complicate matters, delay reopening, and raise tensions. Araghchi said this warning follows the recent sequence of attacks and counterattacks between Tehran and Washington, and he called on all parties to stick to the memorandum of understanding tied to efforts to end the wider conflict.