Arabic version: وفد ميثاق مكة يجري محادثات أمنية في طهران

According to Al Jazeera, ministers and senior security officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye are in Tehran for talks on regional security as the threat of new United States strikes on Iran looms.

Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Pakistani military chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. They are also due to discuss tensions with security chief Mohsen Rezaei. The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, described as a regional defence alliance.

The discussions are expected to include missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are allied with Tehran, on Saudi Arabia. Riyadh supports Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said Saudi Arabia was pressing for more action, but that Turkiye and Pakistan could not afford to commit ground troops in Yemen.

Iran has said it favours security originating within the region. The diplomatic effort comes as Washington seeks unimpeded shipping and transit through the Strait of Hormuz, limits on Tehran’s nuclear programme and international inspections of highly enriched uranium. Tehran wants the US naval blockade of its southern ports lifted and a return to a memorandum of understanding agreed in June.

Analyst Umer Karim said the Tehran meetings were unlikely to reduce the risk of renewed war between Iran and the US, but could focus on protecting Saudi Arabia if conflict resumes. The US State Department ordered nonemergency government employees and family members to leave Saudi Arabia on October 21, citing the Houthi threat.