No Vacancy for Washington Policeman Role, Iran Tells U.S.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected the idea of the United States acting as a regional policeman in West Asia, as tension between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify amid a wider confrontation over control and security in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking on Saturday, September 12, 2026, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in India, Pezeshkian said the region did not require an external power to assume the role of its security enforcer. We do not need a regional policeman, Pezeshkian said during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The remark come at a particularly tense moment, with Iran and the United States engaged in a direct conflict and facing a strategic standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes. Iran Challenges U.S. Regional Role Pezeshkian comments reflect Tehran long standing opposition to U.S. military and political influence in the Middle East. By rejecting the description of Washington as a regional policeman, Iran is signalling that regional security should be determined by countries in West Asia rather than by an out side power. The Strait of Hormuz has added further urgency to the confrontation. Any prolonged disruption in the strategic waterway could have wider consequences for global energy supplies and international trade. BRICS Provides Diplomatic Backdrop Pezeshkian made the remarks while attending the BRICS summit in India, where leaders are discussing a range of international and economic issues amid growing geopolitical tensions. Iran presence at the summit also gives Tehran an opportunity to strengthen diplomatic ties with countries that have opposed unilateral approaches to international affairs. The comments are likely to add another layer to the already strained relationship between Iran and the United States, with the dispute over regional influence now unfolding alongside the wider struggle over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. For Tehran, the message is clear- West Asia does not want Washington playing policeman in its own neighbourhood.