Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye agree to continue security talks
The October 26 meeting in Tehran brought Iran together with three countries bound by a defence pact, producing a commitment to further regional dialogue.
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The October 26 meeting in Tehran brought Iran together with three countries bound by a defence pact, producing a commitment to further regional dialogue.
Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye agreed at an October 26 meeting in Tehran to continue discussions on regional peace and security. Their joint statement commits the four countries to further dialogue to strengthen cooperation, without announcing a ceasefire or a US–Iran negotiating round.
The meeting followed weeks of attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, Al Jazeera said in its October 27 account. The US and Israel began the war with strikes on Iran on February 28, while peace talks were under way in Oman.
| Country | Representative | Role at the meeting |
|---|---|---|
| Iran | Mohsen Rezaei | Supreme National Security Council secretary; host |
| Saudi Arabia | Prince Khalid bin Salman | Defence minister |
| Pakistan | Field Marshal Asim Munir | Chief of army staff and chief of defence forces |
Iranian officials said the 26 October meeting in Tehran opened discussions with members of the Mecca defence pact. Their account, not confirmed by Saudi Arabia or its allies, described an agreement to continue talks on regional cooperation.
2 min
| Türkiye | Ibrahim Kalin | Intelligence chief |
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, pledging collective action against threats to a member’s sovereignty or territorial integrity.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said the visit sought to reduce tensions, encourage diplomatic solutions and support mediation by Qatar and Pakistan, Hürriyet Daily News said. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to resolve differences and deepen regional cooperation, and would support agreements that improved regional security.
Rezaei said the previous week that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin peace talks only after Washington took concrete steps to rebuild trust. He demanded suspended sanctions, unfrozen Iranian assets, an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and concrete assurances against renewed strikes.
Washington wants further Iranian concessions, including on Iran’s nuclear programme, before a final peace settlement is negotiated, Al Jazeera said.
Pakistan and Qatar helped broker a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at reopening Hormuz, ending the blockade and setting conditions for nuclear negotiations. The arrangement unravelled as both sides resumed attacks. Sustained US strikes on Iran for several weeks in July were followed by Iranian retaliatory strikes.
The restrictions affect a major energy route. Before the war, one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping through the waterway remains far below pre-war levels.
US President Donald Trump publicly weighed a deal against further military action on October 25. He had previously said attacks on Iran would not take place until after the November 3 US midterm elections. Rezaei said the previous week that Iran was prepared to respond to renewed attacks, including by invading neighbouring countries and striking bases used in US military operations.
The four governments have not announced a date or venue for their next meeting. Separately, China announced on October 27 that it planned to send an envoy soon to countries in the region to help avert another escalation.
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