Break the cycle: Mecca Pact nations hold talks in Iran

Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks with Iran in Tehran on Monday in an attempt to stop the West Asia war from resuming, as Egypt authorised military support for Riyadh as the kingdom faces attacks by Yemen's Houthis.

Officials from the three Mecca pact countries flew to Iran as part of efforts to "de-escalate between the parties to the current crisis", a Saudi foreign ministry statement said.

Saudi Arabia was represented by Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, younger brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman; Pakistan by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir; and Turkey by intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, Saudi and Iranian officials said. Iranian state media published pictures of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, attending the meetings. At the conclusion of the meetings, the four states agreed to continue talks with a view to strengthening cooperation, especially in peace and security, state media reported. It is the first joint visit to Tehran by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey since they formed a defence alliance in Mecca, the holy city in western Saudi Arabia, in August.


Saudi Arabia has suffered weeks of attacks by Yemen's Iran-allied Houthis, including a missile strike that killed 13 at Riyadh's international airport.