Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan meet with Iran in Tehran to address regional security after eight months of war

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan meet with Iran in Tehran to address regional security after eight months of war (REUTERS)Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan will meet this Monday in Tehran with representatives of Iran to address regional security, amid threats from the United States and Israel to resume attacks against the Islamic republic, after eight months of war in the Middle East. The deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Bagheri Kani, confirmed the participation of the Saudi defense minister, Khalid bin Salman; the chief of the Pakistani Army, General Asim Munir; and the head of Turkish intelligence, Ibrahim Kalin."As agreed, the Saudi defense minister, Khalid bin Salman, the chief of the Pakistani Army, General Asim Munir, and the head of Turkish intelligence, Ibrahim Kalin, will participate in this meeting," Kani said in an interview with Iranian state television. He also confirmed the presence of Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei. For his part, the Saudi deputy minister of public diplomacy, Rayed Krimly, confirmed that the kingdom's defense minister will head a delegation traveling to Tehran this Monday. "The visit is part of the ongoing efforts of the countries of the Joint Defense Agreement of Mecca to reduce tension between the parties involved in the current crisis," Krimly said in a post on the social network X. The Saudi official added that the goal is "to promote dialogue and diplomatic solutions, in support of the mediation efforts carried out by the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan." A man watches the sea as a small boat passes in front of cargo ships anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Bandar Abbas, Iran. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)The talks will take place amid a stalemate in diplomatic negotiations to resolve the conflict. The crisis began in late February, when the United States and Israel launched surprise attacks against Iran while Washington and Tehran were negotiating over Iran's nuclear program. The ceasefire agreed upon in April ended the first phase of bombing, but did not resolve the dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly one-fifth of the oil and liquefied natural gas traded in the world normally passed through that maritime route. Iran claims control of the strait and regularly attacks ships attempting to pass through without authorization. In response, the United States imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports. Attempts to reach a permanent solution remain stalled, especially since the failure of the June agreement, which outlined a roadmap to end the crisis. Since then, the conflict has spread to other points in the region, including the clashes in Yemen between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis. The talks also come after several weeks of escalation in attacks by the Yemeni Houthis, allies of Iran, and an increase in rhetorical tension between Washington and Tehran. Both countries have also drawn up plans to resume a large-scale war, possibly after the U.S. midterm legislative elections, scheduled for November 3.(With information from REUTERS)