Pakistan has brokered a rare Tehran security dialogue between the Makkah defence partners and Iran. The Tehran security dialogue brought Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye together with Iran at a time when the region remains on edge.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin travelled to Tehran on Monday for an unprecedented meeting with the Iranian leadership. The gathering brought together the three members of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and Iran.
The pact, signed in August by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, provides that an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all. But diplomatic sources familiar with the discussions said the significance of the Tehran meeting went beyond the formal defence arrangement.
The atmosphere was described as very cordial and positive, and sources said Pakistan had played a key role in bringing the Makkah defence partners and Iran to the same table. One source said the meeting would not have been possible without Pakistan’s effort.
What the Tehran security dialogue achieved
Details of the discussions were kept closely guarded. The talks were described as having gone very well, and the four sides decided to continue dialogue in the same format. The discussions produced some understandings and commitments, according to diplomatic sources. But there was also recognition that reaching an understanding was only the beginning. One source cautioned that the real test is implementation.
The Saudi decision to send its defence minister to Tehran was considered particularly significant. Riyadh faces growing security concerns linked to Yemen, where Houthi attacks have intensified. That issue was expected to figure prominently in the discussions with Tehran.
Iran, meanwhile, has consistently argued for a regional security mechanism that does not depend on outside powers. Iranian officials have framed such efforts around the concept of endogenous security for the region.
Pakistan’s role was unusual. Islamabad has close defence ties with Riyadh and Ankara, but it has also kept working relations with Tehran. Pakistan shares a border with Iran and has tried to keep communication channels open even during periods of serious tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Those relationships gave Islamabad room to manoeuvre.
The objective was not to bring the four countries together around a common position on every regional dispute. It was to get them talking directly, particularly at a time when another round of United States military action against Iran is feared.
The backdrop to the meeting
Within days of the United States and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, officials from key Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, were already scrambling to assess the potential fallout. As the bombing continued without collapsing Iran’s government or its core security structures, regional powers shifted focus to what could come next.
The fear was simple: a wider regional conflagration that could engulf countries far beyond the immediate battlefield. Against that backdrop, the idea of Muslim countries joining hands to protect their collective interests began to take shape.
A senior diplomat had told The Express Tribune several months ago that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye would have to work together. The same diplomat predicted that the three would eventually have to speak to Iran together. The meeting also follows a fresh Iranian signal. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on regional countries to ensure sustainable security without the interference of extra-regional powers. His remarks, made after the Tehran talks, underline that Iran wants any lasting arrangement to rest on regional hands.
For Pakistan, the dialogue builds on earlier mediation work. Makkah pact officials had already headed to Tehran for de-escalation talks, as reported here: Makkah Pact Officials Head to Tehran for De-escalation. President Masoud Pezeshkian used the Tehran talks to urge regional unity, covered here: Pezeshkian Urges Regional Unity at Tehran Talks. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also saw progress in the Tehran talks on the Gulf war, as reported here: Asif Sees Progress in Tehran Talks on Gulf War. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has backed the Makkah alliance as a pact for peace, covered here: Dar Meets Makkah Alliance Chief, Backs Pact for Peace.
