"Mecca Alliance" opens diplomatic channel to Iran

Washington, D.C. – Agencies: The “Mecca Pact” states have opened a diplomatic channel with Tehran to contain regional escalation, coinciding with ongoing military operations against Houthi threat sources targeting Saudi Arabia, following the activation of the three countries’ commitments to joint defense of the Kingdom. Prince Khaled bin Salman, Saudi Defense Minister, led the Saudi delegation at meetings held yesterday in the Iranian capital, Tehran, between the Mecca Pact for Joint Defense countries and Iranian officials. The meetings were attended by Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, and Ibrahim Kalin, head of Turkish intelligence.

The visit comes amid continued efforts by the Mecca Pact for Joint Defense countries to de-escalate tensions among the parties to the current crisis, encourage dialogue and diplomatic solutions, and support mediation efforts led by Qatar and Pakistan. It also underscores the pivotal role of the Mecca Pact countries in ensuring regional security and stability, and their commitment to working with all regional states to achieve this goal.

A Saudi Foreign Ministry official stated that the visit and meetings are part of the ongoing efforts by the Mecca Pact countries to de-escalate tensions among the parties to the current crisis, encourage dialogue and diplomatic solutions. The meetings of the Mecca Pact representatives included Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Mohsen Rezaee, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

For his part, Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Raed Qarmali, said in a post shared by Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the visit is part of the Mecca Pact for Joint Defense countries’ efforts to de-escalate tensions among the parties to the crisis, encourage dialogue and diplomatic solutions, and support mediation efforts led by Qatar and Pakistan. He affirmed the role of the pact countries in enhancing regional security and stability, and working with their counterparts to achieve this goal, according to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Pact for Joint Defense in August, which stipulates that any armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. According to Ismail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the meeting with Mecca Pact members in Tehran will address issues such as Israel’s expansionist policies, the situation in Lebanon, and the U.S. war on Iran. Baghaei said yesterday that “the Tehran meeting, attended by senior officials from Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, could pave the way for establishing regional security derived from the region itself.”

Munir visited Tehran last week, where he met with Pezeshkian and other senior officials. Iranian media reported that Iranian officials informed him during the visit that there would be no talks with Washington until Tehran’s demands are met.

The meetings were preceded by a Qatari initiative in the Iranian capital; Reuters reported that Qatari mediators met with Iranian officials on Sunday as part of de-escalation efforts. Qatar and Pakistan’s efforts had previously contributed to a temporary agreement between Washington and Tehran in June, before it stalled and fighting resumed weeks later.

An Iranian official clarified that the Qatari delegation’s visit falls within the continuous communication between the two countries amid rising regional tensions, describing the mediation efforts as positive. In a related development, Tasnim News Agency quoted the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson as saying that Iran has “never left” negotiations, explaining that Iran exchanges messages with the United States through mediators, but the problem lies in Washington’s apparent insistence and adherence to its unilateral demands.