Iran, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan to continue dialogue — Al Jazeera

Iran, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue to strengthen cooperation, including on issues of peace and security in the region. The parties reached this decision following talks in Tehran, Al Jazeera reports, citing a joint statement distributed by Iranian state media.

Talks in Tehran

The meeting was the first high-level contact between Iran and the three other states since they signed the Mecca Pact on mutual defense in August. The Saudi delegation was led by Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan was represented by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Türkiye by intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei also took part in the talks. According to a senior Pakistani security official who spoke to Reuters, participants discussed creating a regional non-aggression network, US-Iran talks, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Strait of Hormuz and the United States' blockade of Iranian ports.

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Another Pakistani official told Reuters that Asim Munir presented Iran with a proposal that would offer something to both Washington and Tehran. The source did not disclose details of the proposal. According to the official, the states of the Mecca Pact, together with Qatar, could act as guarantors of any agreements if they are adopted.

New Houthi attacks

The talks took place amid new attacks by Yemen's Houthis on Saudi Arabia. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesperson for the Riyadh-led coalition, said that on the morning of October 27, the coalition intercepted three ballistic missiles aimed at the kingdom's Eastern Province and shot down four drones heading toward the country's southern areas. He said there were no casualties.

The coalition also said it shot down three more drones over Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia on the evening of October 26. Earlier on Monday, the Houthis claimed an attack on Riyadh airport and oil pumping stations in the west and east of the country. The Saudi coalition reported intercepting and destroying missiles, as well as carrying out retaliatory strikes on Houthi infrastructure, including tunnels, launchers and a missile depot.