Saudi, Pakistani defense ministers and Turkish intelligence chief meet Iran's leadership in Tehran

Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's defense minister, General Asim Munir, chief of staff of the Pakistani military, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalan met on Monday in Tehran with senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei.

These meetings represent the first high-level contact between Iran and the three countries since the regional crisis—which intensified following American and Israeli strikes on Iran—spread to Saudi territory and Yemen. The talks come on the heels of escalated Houthi attacks on Saudi targets last month.

Saudi official Raid al-Khreimi announced on X that the meetings aim to "reduce tensions, encourage diplomatic solutions, and support mediation efforts" being undertaken by Qatar and Pakistan. A Saudi Foreign Ministry statement affirmed that the visit extends the kingdom's role in establishing regional peace, emphasizing the importance of opening negotiation channels to prevent a return to military escalation. It is worth noting that Pakistan plays a pivotal role as a principal intermediary between Washington and Tehran since the outbreak of the regional crisis.

A senior Pakistani security official revealed that the meeting's main focus is building a regional non-aggression network, with an agenda that includes U.S.-Iran talks, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Strait of Hormuz, and the American blockade of Iranian ports.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said the meeting—which was proposed during Munir's visit to Tehran—could be "a first step toward establishing mechanisms for regional security." He added that discussions will include Israeli expansionist policies, developments in Palestinian territories and Lebanon, and the military repercussions of American and Israeli strikes on Iran.

An Iranian official stressed that the nuclear program will not be on the table for discussion until Washington responds to Iran's conditions, namely lifting the blockade on ports and canceling sanctions on oil exports. In contrast, U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced that Iran is required to reduce uranium enrichment as a condition for ending the war.

It should be noted that the Mecca Charter, signed last August, obliges its signatories to treat any attack on one member as an attack on all, bringing together Pakistan's nuclear capabilities, Turkey's military weight, and Saudi Arabia's financial resources.