Mecca Pact Members Meet Iranian President Amid Threat of Renewed US Strikes
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye held last-minute talks with Iran in Tehran amid the threat of renewed US strikes and escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. While the meeting is unlikely to resolve the US-Iran deadlock, the Mecca pact members are seeking to safeguard Saudi Arabia as Riyadh pushes for greater military support against the Houthis.
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In a Nutshell
- Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir and Türkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran on October 26 to discuss regional security amid the threat of renewed US strikes on Iran.
- US President Donald Trump recently threatened to “finish the job” by striking civilian infrastructure in Iran to break the diplomatic deadlock between Washington and Tehran. The US wants shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to resume without impediments or attacks, while Iran is seeking to lift the US naval blockade of its southern ports and return to the memorandum of understanding signed in June. The US is also still insisting on tighter restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme and international access to inspect its highly enriched uranium.
- Pakistan previously mediated talks between Washington and Tehran before the two countries signed the June MoU. However, analysts say the Mecca pact members have limited leverage to prevent another US-Iran confrontation, leaving the protection of Saudi Arabia as a more immediate concern.
- Saudi Arabia has faced repeated missile and drone attacks from Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in recent weeks. Riyadh is pressing its Mecca pact partners for greater military engagement with the increasing offensive from Houthis. The agreement treats an attack on one member as an attack on all three, but analysts say Türkiye and Pakistan cannot afford to commit troops on the ground in Yemen.
- Outside the pact, Egypt’s parliament authorised President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on October 26 to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia’s defence if requested by Riyadh. El-Sisi has said any military assistance would focus on defending Saudi territory and borders, rather than attacking Yemen.
Context
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye in August, establishing a collective defence arrangement under which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. The Tehran meeting is the pact’s first high-level contact with Iran after Saudi Arabia has now become drawn into the regional conflict that has been spreading since the start of the US-Iran war.
In the weeks of increasing Houthi attacks that have targeted Saudi Arabia’s airports and other areas, only Egypt has emerged as a potential source of defence assistance. On October 17, President el-Sisi sought parliamentary authorisation, which was approved on October 26 after closed-door deliberations. Cairo has said it would not attack any country and that its military role would be defensive, focused on protecting Saudi territory and borders.
Notably, Egypt had expressed interest earlier in joining the Mecca pact, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan saying in August that membership could follow once technical issues were resolved.
Why It Matters
The Mecca pact faces a difficult choice between trying to contain a wider US-Iran war and responding to the more immediate threat to Saudi Arabia from the Houthis. Pakistan has previously acted as a mediator between Washington and Tehran, but the three pact members have little leverage to resolve the fundamental disagreements now threatening to reignite the conflict. Even if the Tehran meeting helps keep diplomatic channels open, that does not mean it can bridge the divide.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s push for military engagement against the Houthis is putting the pact’s collective defence commitment under pressure. Egypt’s parliamentary approval offers Riyadh a possible source of military assistance outside the pact, as Türkiye and Pakistan cannot afford to commit troops on the ground in Yemen.
What We Think
Saudi Arabia may find it easier to secure defensive support from Egypt than to get Türkiye and Pakistan to commit troops to Yemen. But if the Houthis continue to increase their attacks, Riyadh may eventually look for a more direct military response, putting the Mecca pact members under greater pressure to decide how far they are willing to go to defend Saudi Arabia.