TEHRAN: Pakistan’s chief of defense forces has convened a rare meeting of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in Tehran, marking a historic diplomatic opening as the Middle East war remains locked in a stalemate, Iranian state television reported.
The meeting, requested by Pakistan and opened Monday in the Iranian capital, focused on “regional cooperation, the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and its consequences,” Iran’s state broadcaster said.
Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin would attend. Earlier Monday, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations confirmed Munir was visiting Tehran.
Photos shared by the Iranian presidential website showed representatives of the Makkah security pact — Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The talks come after nearly eight months of war following US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, which prompted Tehran to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has roiled global markets and energy trade.
An April ceasefire ended the initial phase of intense bombardment, but the two sides have continued to vie for control of the strait, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to travel. The war has since spread across the region, including fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen, who have attacked airports and oil facilities in the kingdom.
Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Dr. Rayed Krimly confirmed that the kingdom’s defense minister was heading a delegation to Tehran on Monday.
“The visit comes as part of the continued efforts by the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement countries for de-escalation between parties involved in the ongoing crisis,” Krimly said in a post on X. It aims at “promoting dialogue and diplomatic solutions, in support of the mediation efforts carried out by the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” he added.
Iran claims control over the Strait of Hormuz and regularly targets vessels that attempt to cross without its authorization, while the United States has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis remain stalled, especially since the collapse of a June deal that laid out a pathway to a permanent settlement.
