Ankara: Iran urged regional Middle Eastern countries Wednesday to establish a 'security and military alliance' that explicitly excludes the United States and Israel. 'The time has come to establish a security alliance without the presence of the United States and Israel," Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a video message addressed to the Arab and Islamic world.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zolfaghari described the US and Israeli actions against Iran as reflecting a 'new phase' and asserted that Iran is at the forefront of defending the Islamic nation. He emphasized the importance of not relying on external powers and urged a return to the teachings of the Quran, arguing that regional countries do not need distant nations to ensure their security.

Zolfaghari called on regional countries to unite and guarantee their security, advocating for a collective security charter based on Islam and the Quran as a reference, core and solid foundation. Hostilities have escalated since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28. Iran has retaliated with repeated drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.