Who is going to Tehran and why
A Turkey-Iran meeting in the Iranian capital on Monday is expected to bring together senior figures from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey with Iranian counterparts. The agenda centres on security across the wider region and how the four sides can align their responses.
Saudi Arabia’s defence minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, is due to represent Riyadh. Pakistan is sending Field Marshal Asim Munir, who serves as chief of army staff and chief of defence forces. Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, is also expected. Iranian official Ali Bagheri Kani confirmed the planned visit and said the guests would hold consultations with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on security matters in the region.
Context after Houthi strikes and Munir’s earlier visit
If it goes ahead as described, the gathering would be the first time Iran sits with all three Mecca pact partners at a high level since Saudi Arabia faced a sharper wave of attacks from Yemen’s Houthis, a group aligned with Tehran. Riyadh said it stopped another round of missiles and drones on Sunday while fighting with the Houthis went on.
Munir was in Tehran last week and met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian along with other senior figures. During that stay, Iranian officials said there would be no engagement with Washington until Tehran’s conditions were satisfied, according to Iranian media. Islamabad has previously helped mediate between the United States and Iran. Those efforts contributed to a temporary ceasefire arrangement in June, which broke down when fighting between Iran and the United States restarted weeks later.
Mecca defence pact and the road to this session
The Turkey Iran meeting follows an emergency session of Mecca pact members in Riyadh earlier this month. Officials there agreed to move quickly on deploying military forces and capabilities inside Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August. Under that deal, an armed assault on one member is treated as an assault on all, and the text provides for using every means required to protect members’ territory, sovereignty and recognised borders. Islamabad cleared the pact last week. Turkey’s parliament started the ratification process earlier this month. At the time of earlier reporting, Riyadh, Islamabad and Ankara had not yet publicly answered requests for comment on Monday’s programme.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- June 2026: Mediation involving Pakistan helped produce a short-lived interim peace arrangement between Iran and the United States; fighting later resumed.
- August 2026: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
- Earlier this month: Mecca pact members held an emergency meeting in Riyadh on rapid military deployment in Saudi Arabia; Turkey’s parliament began ratifying the pact.
- Last week: Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran and met President Masoud Pezeshkian; Pakistan approved the Mecca agreement.
- Sunday: Saudi Arabia intercepted another wave of Houthi missiles and drones.
- Monday: Senior Pakistani, Saudi and Turkish officials are due in Tehran for talks with Iran.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan, Saudi Arab aur Turkey ke bare afsar aaj Tehran mein Iran se baat karne ja rahe hain. Asim Munir, Saudi defence minister aur Turkey ke intelligence chief shamil hone wale hain. Ye mulakat ilaqai amn aur defence coordination ke baare mein hai. Aam logon ke liye seedha matlab yeh hai ke region mein tension hai, lekin Islamabad diplomacy se masla suljhane ki koshish mein hai.
