Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey agreed on Monday, October 26, to continue talks on regional peace and security after senior officials met in Tehran. A joint statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster Press TV announced the commitment to further dialogue. Reuters reported that the visit sought to reduce tensions as the Middle East conflict spread.
Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei hosted the meeting, according to the statement. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin attended. The statement described it as the first meeting of the four regional countries.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said the visit supported mediation by Qatar and Pakistan and sought diplomatic solutions to the crisis. In a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency, it urged the parties to engage constructively and stressed that negotiating channels were needed to prevent renewed military escalation.
Reuters placed the talks against the backdrop of fresh Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and a conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed their Mecca mutual defence agreement in August. The Tehran visit brought Iranian officials together with representatives of all three partners as they sought to ease the wider confrontation.
The joint statement committed the participants to continuing dialogue to strengthen cooperation, including on regional peace and security. It did not announce a ceasefire, a settlement or a date for another meeting. Saudi Arabia said negotiations should pave the way for an agreement ending the crisis; that remained a stated diplomatic objective rather than an outcome announced in Tehran.
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