Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan are due to hold talks in Tehran, in the first high-level contact between Iran and all three members of the Mecca Defence Alliance since Houthi rebels escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The joint meeting is expected to include Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the officials would take part in talks on Monday, according to Iranian state-run media. Iran’s delegation will be led by Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy Rayed Krimly also confirmed the visit, saying it formed part of efforts by the alliance’s members to reduce tensions and support dialogue and diplomatic solutions.
He said the talks would support mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan. In a post on X, Mr Krimly said: “The visit underscores the pivotal role of Mecca Joint Defence Agreement countries in reinforcing regional security and stability and working with all countries in the region to achieve that goal.”
Mecca Defence Alliance talks in Tehran
Mr Bagheri Kani said the participating countries could make an effective contribution to establishing regional security led by countries in the region.
The meeting comes as Saudi Arabia continues to face attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi armed group. Saudi Arabia intercepted another wave of missiles and drones on Sunday as the fighting continued.
Ministers from the alliance held an emergency meeting in Riyadh this month, agreeing to ensure the “rapid deployment” of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.
Mr Munir visited Tehran last week, meeting Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials. Iranian media reported that officials told him there would be no talks with the United States on ending the US-Israel war on Iran until Tehran’s demands had been met.
Pakistan has acted as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran since the United States and Israel launched the war in February. Earlier mediation efforts produced an interim agreement in June, but it unravelled after fighting between Iran and the US resumed weeks later.
Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August. Its terms state that an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all, with the parties committed to using “all necessary means” to remove threats to one another’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and internationally recognised borders.
Pakistan approved the agreement last week, while ratification proceedings in the Turkish parliament began last week and remain under way.
