Saudi, Turkish, and Pakistani Leaders Visit Tehran for Security Talks

Senior military and intelligence officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan will travel to Tehran on Monday for joint security talks. Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, confirmed the itinerary to state-run media. He stated that Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin will attend the meeting.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, will lead the Iranian delegation. Bagheri Kani described the talks as an opportunity to take effective steps toward establishing regional security based on actors within the region. The visit represents the first high-level contact between Iran and all members of the Mecca Defence Alliance since Yemen’s Houthi armed group escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia in September.

Rayed Krimly, Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy, confirmed the meeting on X. He noted that the visit supports ongoing mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan. Krimly wrote that the trip reinforces the role of the alliance in promoting dialogue and diplomatic solutions to the ongoing crisis.

Field Marshal Munir visited Tehran last week, where he met with President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials. Iranian media reported that officials told Munir Tehran would not negotiate with the United States about ending the war with Israel until its specific demands were met. Pakistan has acted as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran since the war began in February. Previous mediation efforts resulted in an interim agreement in June, which collapsed weeks later as fighting resumed.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia intercepted a new wave of missiles and drones from the Houthis. This month, ministers from the alliance held an emergency meeting in Riyadh. They agreed to ensure the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia. The Houthi attacks have turned Saudi Arabia into a pressure point in the wider conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Turkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia in August. The pact stipulates that an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Article one of the agreement requires parties to use all necessary means to protect one another’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Turkiye’s parliament began ratification proceedings last week, and Pakistan approved the pact during the same period.