Saudi Arabia Proposes New Security Pact in the Middle East - FT
Saudi Arabia has proposed that Middle Eastern countries and Iran sign a non-aggression pact to reduce tensions in the region. The initiative calls for the creation of a new security framework modeled after international agreements from the Cold War era. Some countries and European politicians have already expressed support for the idea, according to the Financial Times (FT).
Saudi Arabia has initiated discussions on a potential non-aggression pact between Iran and Middle Eastern countries, which could serve as a new foundation for regional security following the end of the war.
The proposal calls for the creation of a mechanism to ease tensions, which in its logic may resemble the 1975 Helsinki Accords, signed to stabilize relations between Western countries and the USSR during the Cold War.
As one Arab diplomat notes, most countries in the region generally lean toward supporting this idea, as they fear further instability even if Iran is weakened following the conflicts. It is separately emphasized that the reduction of the U.S. military presence reinforces the region’s need for its own security arrangements. “Most countries in the region may support such a decision, as they are interested in reducing the risks of a new escalation,” FT sources quote one of the diplomats as saying.
Also, according to the Financial Times, Iran may allegedly be interested in such an agreement format, as Tehran has long been promoting the idea of greater regional autonomy from external influence by the U.S. and the West.
European politicians, according to sources, have welcomed Saudi Arabia’s initiative and called on Gulf countries to consider it as a basis for further negotiations that could reshape the approach to security in the Middle East.
In late March, Saudi Arabia may have carried out unofficial strikes on Iranian territory in response to attacks on its facilities. Information about these actions has not been officially confirmed, but sources describe them as a limited “tit-for-tat” response.
On May 11, the visa-free agreement between the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia, which the parties signed in December 2025, officially entered into force. From now on, Russian citizens can visit the kingdom without prior visa processing for short-term trips.
Saudi Arabia has banned the U.S. from using its military bases and airspace for a potential operation against Iran. Following this, the Donald Trump administration was forced to effectively put Project Freedom on hold, a mission the U.S. president had announced just a day and a half earlier.
