Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are due to meet with Iranian leaders in Tehran on 26 October to discuss regional security. The talks will take place against a backdrop of intensified attacks by Yemeni Houthis on Saudi Arabia and rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. According to Reuters, this will be the first joint meeting between representatives of the three states that are part of the Mecca Defence Pact and the Iranian leadership since the conflict escalated.
- Talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are scheduled to take place in Tehran on 26 October.
- The parties will discuss regional security and the prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
- The meeting is taking place against the backdrop of intensified Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
- Three states signed the Mecca Pact on collective defence in August 2026.
- Qatar and Pakistan are continuing their mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran.
Who will represent the countries at the talks in Tehran?
Saudi Arabia will be represented at the meeting by the Minister of Defence, Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan — Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of the Army Asim Munir, and Turkey — the head of the National Intelligence Organisation Ibrahim Kalin.
Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Bagheri-Kani He confirmed the planned visit to state television. According to him, representatives of the three countries will hold consultations with the Iranian leadership regarding the situation in the Middle East.
According to a senior Iranian official, the initiative to hold the meeting came from Pakistan. Last week, Asim Munir visited Tehran, where he met with the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian and other government officials.
Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy of Saudi Arabia Raid Krimli stated that the talks were aimed at easing tensions and supporting the mediation efforts of Qatar and Pakistan.
The day before, on 25 October, Qatari mediators also held talks with Iranian representatives in Tehran. Qatar has played an important role in diplomatic contacts between Iran and the US over recent months.
What does the Mecca Defence Pact entail?
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement in August 2026 against the backdrop of a deteriorating security situation in the region.
The document enshrines the principle of collective defence: an armed attack on one of the signatory states is regarded as an attack on all parties to the agreement.
According to the first article of the document, which Reuters has seen, the parties undertake to use all necessary means to eliminate threats to each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and internationally recognised borders.
In early October, representatives of the three countries held an emergency meeting in Al-Riyadi. During the talks, they agreed to ensure that military forces and equipment could be rapidly deployed within Saudi Arabia.
Last week, Pakistan approved the defence agreement, whilst the ratification process is still ongoing in the Turkish parliament.
Why are tensions surrounding Iran rising again?
The talks are taking place against a backdrop of intensifying fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni Houthis, who are backed by Iran. On Sunday, 25 October, Saudi air defence forces intercepted yet another wave of missiles and drones.
At the same time, relations between Washington and Tehran have become strained. The US President Donald Trump stated on 23 October that the United States might launch a new military operation against Iran. In response, the Iranian leadership warned of a harsher reaction to any potential strikes.
Iranian security forces have drawn up plans to attack undersea cables in the Persian Gulf in the event of renewed strikes by the US and Israel. Meanwhile, US intelligence has warned of an increased threat to US personnel in the region.
Previous mediation efforts by Pakistan and Qatar helped to secure a temporary peace agreement in June, but fighting resumed a few weeks later.
The current meeting in Tehran is set to be yet another attempt at diplomatic coordination against the backdrop of the threat of the conflict escalating further. No reports have yet emerged of any potential agreements resulting from the talks.
