Iran’s absence from the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit on October 13, 2025, was a deliberate decision rooted in strategic, ideological, and diplomatic considerations. Despite receiving an invitation, Tehran chose not to attend, citing several key reasons:

1. Distrust of U.S.-Led Diplomacy Iran’s leadership expressed skepticism toward the summit’s organizers, particularly the United States. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that neither he nor President Masoud Pezeshkian could engage with counterparts who have “attacked the Iranian people and continue to threaten and sanction us,” referring to past U.S. actions such as the 2020 assassination of General Qasem Soleimani and the 2023 bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities The Guardian.
2. Perception of the Summit’s Legitimacy Iranian officials questioned the summit’s legitimacy, with Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei asserting that it was not an “international summit in the true sense of the word.” He emphasized that diplomatic engagement is not limited to physical attendance at meetings saba.ye.
3. Opposition to U.S.-Israel Peace Narratives Iran viewed the summit as part of a broader U.S. strategy to portray Iran as part of a peace process with Israel, which Tehran fundamentally opposes. Analysts noted that Trump’s invitation aimed to frame Iran’s participation as a sign of Tehran joining the peace process with Israel, a narrative that contradicts Iran’s core foreign policy principles WANA.
4. Regional Influence Beyond Summit Participation Iran maintains that its regional influence extends beyond participation in any single event. Over the past two years, Iran has been actively involved in pressuring Israel and its allies to end hostilities, through platforms like the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and regional forums Tehran Times.
5. Strategic Timing and Diplomatic Calculations The timing of the summit coincided with ongoing tensions and diplomatic engagements elsewhere. Iran’s leadership may have assessed that participating in the summit would not align with its broader strategic objectives and could potentially undermine its position in other diplomatic arenas.
6. Internal Political Dynamics While Iran’s leadership has favored diplomatic engagement, domestic political considerations also played a role in the decision. The government’s stance reflects a balance between pursuing international diplomacy and maintaining internal political cohesion, particularly in the face of external pressures and sanctions.

In summary, Iran’s decision to abstain from the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit was influenced by a combination of distrust toward U.S.-led initiatives, concerns over the summit’s legitimacy, opposition to peace narratives involving Israel, assertions of regional influence, strategic timing, and internal political dynamics. This absence underscores the complexities of Middle Eastern geopolitics and Iran’s cautious approach to international engagements.