Fox: Iran calls for regional “new Islamic civilisation” as tensions rise with US

Iran has intensified its rhetoric against the United States, with Supreme Leader Mojataba Khamenei and his allies promoting a vision of closer regional alignment under what they describe as a “New Islamic Civilisation,” according to analysts cited by Fox.

The developments come amid parallel diplomatic efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to expand the Abraham Accords and strengthen normalisation ties between Israel and Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain.

On May 31, negotiations between Iran and the United States were reported to still be ongoing, with no final decision reached on a potential agreement.

Shortly after Trump’s outreach to regional leaders, Mojtaba Khamenei posted a message on X rejecting Western influence and calling for broader Islamic unity.

He wrote: "I, with sincerity and purity of intention, invite all Islamic countries and governments to friendship and cooperation in goodness, so that by working together we may take steps toward the advancement of the Islamic Ummah and the resolution of the Islamic world's problems."

He also warned: "The United States will no longer have a safe haven for its mischief and for establishing military bases in West Asia."

Dr. Omar Mohammed, director of the Antisemitism Research Initiative Program on Extremism at George Washington University, said the messaging reflects an effort by Tehran to counter U.S.-backed regional initiatives.

"Mojtaba Khamenei's statement is that the Muslim world should consolidate under Iran's leadership — the 'Ummah,' the 'new Islamic civilization' — against the American-led order," Mohammed told Fox News Digital. "That is the theme, and it runs straight into the Accords narrative. This is a bid to build an alliance against the Abraham Accords," said Mohammed.

"In his statement, he also frames American bases on Muslim soil as an occupation to be expelled while wrapping it in religious language that casts the regime as God's instrument."

He added that the timing of the messaging is significant.

"This came into the Ummah with Iran, not into normalization with Israel under Washington," Mohammed explained. "Same audience, opposite frame, 24 hours apart, and a bid to assemble that alliance."

"The statement was published in full and carried by Iranian state media. It also tracks with his first statement as leader on March 12, when he demanded that U.S. bases in the region close."

"This was not a stray post," he said, noting that Iran’s messaging appears coordinated across leadership channels.

The analyst also argued that Iran is attempting to reposition itself as a regional power center.

"Tehran is selling itself to the region as the new sheriff of the neighborhood," Mohammed warned.

However, he said Gulf states remain wary due to recent military tensions and ongoing security ties with Washington.

"Iran spent this war firing on them — it hit Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait, the same capitals it's now inviting to brotherhood, and the UAE alone reported intercepting close to 2,000 drones and hundreds of ballistic missiles since Feb. 28," he said.

"These are the states that host our forces: the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, Al Dhafra in the UAE and Al Udeid in Qatar. You don't take three months of Iranian fire and then sign onto its alliance."

He added that while Gulf governments are cautious about Iran, they are also closely watching U.S. policy.

"What actually worries the Gulf isn't Mojtaba's invitation — it's the deal Washington might sign," Mohammed noted, "one that hands Iran its money back with its missiles intact and reads as rewarding the regime that just attacked them."

By Sabina Mammadli