Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani envoys in Tehran to head off new Iran clash with US and Israel

Envoys arrive in Tehran

Senior delegations from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, the three signatories of the Mecca Pact defence agreement, arrived in Tehran on Monday, 26 October, to head off a renewed military clash between Iran and the United States and Israel. Two regional officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the visits came as rhetoric on both sides sharpened and many in Iran were preparing for a return to full-scale war. Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin were scheduled to meet senior Iranian security officials and negotiators with the aim of advancing a deal between Tehran and Washington. A senior Iranian security official announced the meeting on state television, although its date was not officially confirmed. A Saudi deputy foreign minister confirmed the talks and said they aim to support dialogue and the mediation efforts of Qatar and Pakistan. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for regional unity during the meeting, according to a statement from his office, and urged the four countries to adopt a coordinated position.

Agenda: Houthi attacks and a wider pact

The talks were expected to cover the war in Yemen and Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, according to officials who spoke anonymously. The Houthis, Iran-backed rebels in Yemen, have carried out destructive missile and drone attacks on infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and have claimed they forced Riyadh's airport to shut down. Officials were also reported to have discussed whether Iran could join a new security pact involving Islamic countries. Oman is one of the Gulf states that has considered a regional security pact that would include Iran. The Gulf debate has also reopened the question of whether the large American military presence in their countries is a guarantee of security or a source of insecurity.

Iran's proposal and the Mecca Pact dispute

The Mecca Pact, a mutual defence agreement, was signed in August by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey. Some in Iran fear it was designed to contain Tehran, but the three signatories insist it is purely a mutual defence pact. Iran's foreign ministry has repeatedly proposed a regional security pact in which Iran, not the United States, would play the leading role. Tehran's own proposal, sent to Washington through mediators in mid-September 2026, calls for lifting the American blockade of Iranian ports, easing sanctions on Iranian oil exports and ending hostilities on all regional fronts. A senior Iranian official said Tehran would not discuss its nuclear programme in the talks and that the United States must first meet Tehran's conditions for ending the war.

Egypt authorises support for Saudi defence

On Monday, 26 October, Egypt's parliament authorised the armed forces to support the defence of Saudi Arabia, according to lawmakers and local media. The decision could draw Cairo directly into a regional conflict that has widened as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensified. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had asked parliament the previous week to approve such support if Riyadh requests help against the Houthis, whose advances also threaten the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the gateway to the Suez Canal. Egypt has repeatedly condemned attacks on Gulf states attributed to Iran or Iran-backed forces, but it has neither joined the Mecca Pact nor engaged in direct combat. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said this month that Egypt's possible membership remains under serious consideration. In 2015 Egypt sent warships and promised air support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, alongside about 800 ground troops with a limited role.

UN call and the calendar

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, speaking in Cairo, called for an end to the escalation in the Middle East ahead of the Tehran meeting. He warned that a combined massive military attack on Iran and a massive Iranian attack on Gulf states must be avoided at any cost, and said the consequences would be unthinkable. Commentary carried by Kathimerini describes Israeli and US leaders intensifying their threats ahead of elections in both countries. Israeli elections are set for Tuesday, 27 October, and US elections for 3 November.