Mecca Pact Nations Convene in Tehran to Avert Iran-US Conflict and Yemen Crisis

Tehran, Iran – Senior officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, the signatories of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, have arrived in Tehran for crucial discussions on regional security. Their visit comes amidst escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, with threats of new US strikes looming.

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al-Saud, Pakistani army chief General Syed Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and National Security Council head Mohsen Rezaei. These meetings represent some of the most significant high-level dialogues held in Tehran recently.

While specific details remain scarce, the discussions are widely believed to focus on de-escalating the current confrontation between the US and Iran. Analysts suggest the visit by the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement members aims to bolster efforts towards compromise before any potential outbreak of hostilities.

“The Mecca pact’s 11th-hour visit to Tehran is an attempt to tip the balance in favour of those willing to compromise before the guns start blazing again,” commented Ali Vaez, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the International Crisis Group. He added, “But unless they arrive with a credible formula to bridge the US-Iran divide, they may find themselves with little more than goodwill in a race against the clock.”

The talks are also expected to address the ongoing missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are allied with Tehran, targeting Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia supports Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

Ayesha Siddiqa, a senior research fellow at King’s College London, noted that while parties to the Mecca agreement may lack direct military engagement options with the Houthis, “Riyadh is certainly asserting greater pressure for more, and its expectation of its partners has grown in parallel with the offensive from Yemen.” However, she pointed out that Turkiye and Pakistan cannot “afford to commit troops on the ground” in Yemen, despite the collective security arrangement.

Siddiqa suggested the current diplomatic push is likely connected to recent visits by Pakistani army chief Asim Munir to Saudi Arabia and Iran, and coincides with Islamabad’s restrictions on overland trade with Tehran due to the US blockade. Iranian authorities have expressed a preference for “security originating from within the region.”

Umer Karim, who studies Saudi foreign policy, believes the Tehran meetings are unlikely to significantly reduce the risk of a renewed Iran-US war, which could trigger further regional instability. “Therefore, these talks perhaps are more concerned about the security of Saudi Arabia and involve an attempt by Turkiye and Pakistan to compel Iran to reach a compromise,” he told Al Jazeera.

The context for these discussions includes US President Donald Trump reportedly considering new strikes to break the diplomatic stalemate with Iran. Washington seeks unimpeded international shipping and transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a halt to Tehran’s nuclear program, and the return of international inspectors. Israel has expressed its desire to see the Islamic Republic overthrown.

Tehran, on the other hand, seeks the lifting of the US naval blockade on its southern ports, which has crippled crude oil exports and trade, and a return to a memorandum of understanding from June. President Trump has indicated a choice to “finish the job” with major strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure if diplomatic efforts fail, potentially provoking retaliation against neighbours.

Adding to the regional unease, the US Department of State recently ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to the Houthi threat. Analysts suggest that the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signatories in Tehran will likely focus on mitigating the impact on Saudi Arabia should conflict reignite, though Karim remains skeptical about the negotiations' potential impact given the lack of significant shifts in Iran's strategic calculus or leverage held by the visiting parties.