Mecca Pact chiefs meet Iran in rare trilateral talks — SkimNews
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- Mecca Pact countries — Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye — are sending top defense and intelligence officials to hold high-level talks with Iran in Tehran on October 26, marking the first such trilateral contact since the pact’s activation amid rising regional conflict.
- Saudi Arabia will be represented by Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Turkiye by intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, according to Saudi and Iranian officials.
- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the talks will cover Israel’s expansionist policies, developments in Palestine and Lebanon, and the impact of U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran.
- Ali Baqeri-Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, confirmed the delegation will consult with Iran’s top security body on regional security, underscoring the formal level of engagement.
- Rayed Krimly, Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, stated the meeting reflects the Mecca Pact’s role in promoting regional stability and supporting mediation led by Qatar and Pakistan.
- Qatari mediators held separate talks in Tehran on October 25 to de-escalate tensions, continuing Doha’s ongoing diplomatic role between Iran and the United States.
Why it matters: This is the first coordinated high-level outreach by all three Mecca Pact members to Iran since the bloc’s formation, signaling a shift toward regional actors leading conflict mediation. With U.S.-Iran tensions at a near-term peak and Houthi attacks drawing in Saudi Arabia, the meeting could alter the balance of diplomatic influence in the Middle East, sidelining Washington in favor of regional powers.
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