Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected the idea of the United States acting as a security enforcer in the Middle East, saying countries in the region should take responsibility for their own security.

Pezeshkian made the remarks on Saturday during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in India.

“We do not need a regional policeman,” the Iranian president said, according to the Iranian presidency.

He argued that the security and territorial integrity of the Middle East should be protected by countries within the region rather than an outside power.

His comments come as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high following the outbreak of war on February 28. The conflict has also intensified the struggle over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route.

Iran has restricted movement through the strategic waterway since the conflict began, requiring vessels to obtain permission before transiting. Tehran is also considering a system that would allow it to charge vessels for services linked to passage.

The dispute over the strait has had wider economic consequences, particularly for the global oil market. Crude prices climbed above $100 per barrel this week as the prolonged conflict continued to disrupt shipping through the waterway.

Despite the confrontation, Pezeshkian said Iran was not seeking a prolonged war.

“Despite all the injustices suffered by our people, we neither desire war nor its continuation. Peace remains our priority,” he said.

The Strait of Hormuz is strategically important to the global energy market, making the continued confrontation between Iran and the US a major concern for oil-importing countries.