As of 9:45 AM IST, Tuesday 27 October 2026. Based on reporting by Al Jazeera (with Reuters), The Straits Times, Aaj News (citing IRNA) and Bloomberg. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan had not publicly confirmed Iran's account of what was agreed at the time of writing.
Senior security officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, the three members of the new Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, held talks with Iran in Tehran on Monday 26 October in a bid to stop the nearly eight-month Middle East war from reigniting. Tehran described the discussions as "very good", The Straits Times reported, and Iranian officials said the four countries had agreed to keep talking.
Who was in the room
- Saudi Arabia: Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.
- Pakistan: Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
- Turkey: Intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
- Iran: Al Jazeera reported the meeting was hosted by Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Al Jazeera's live coverage said the delegations also met President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iranian state television called it the first joint meeting between Iran and the three pact members. It was also their first high-level contact since Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia last month, according to Al Jazeera.
What each side said
A statement from Iranian officials, carried by the Fars news agency, said the participants "agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation between the four regional countries". Al Jazeera noted that Saudi Arabia and its allies had not commented on the meeting or confirmed any agreement.
Before the talks, a Saudi foreign ministry statement said the visit was meant to "de-escalate between the parties to the current crisis", The Straits Times reported. Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy Rayed Krimly wrote on X that the trip supported "dialogue and diplomatic solutions" and the mediation efforts led by Qatar and Pakistan.
Iran: Washington "not serious"
The same day, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei accused the United States of confusing negotiations with imposing demands. "The American side is not serious about negotiations," he said at his weekly news conference, according to state news agency IRNA as reported by Aaj News. Baqaei also said the Saudi–Yemen dispute should be settled between those two countries and that Tehran was ready to help.
Why the Mecca pact matters
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August. Under it, an armed attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. Pakistan approved the pact last week, while Turkey's parliament has begun ratifying it, Al Jazeera reported. Earlier this month, the three countries' ministers agreed in Riyadh to ensure the "rapid deployment" of military forces to Saudi Arabia as Houthi missile and drone attacks continued. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted another wave on Sunday.
Pakistan has been a key go-between for Washington and Tehran since the US and Israel launched the war in February. Earlier mediation produced an interim agreement in June, but it unravelled weeks later when fighting between Iran and the US resumed, according to Al Jazeera.
Gulf risks remain high
Shipping security agency UKMTO reported a vessel on fire about 63 nautical miles (117 km) southeast of al-Faw, Iraq, Al Jazeera's live coverage said. Details of the cause had not been confirmed.
Markets noticed the diplomacy. Brent crude fell about 1% to around $114.70 a barrel in Asian trading on Tuesday "as senior officials from several countries traveled to Tehran", Bloomberg reported. Israelis also vote in a general election today, with the war with Iran a major campaign theme.
What to watch
- Whether Riyadh, Ankara or Islamabad confirm Iran's statement that talks will continue, and when.
- Any pause in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
- US reaction to the meeting, and any revival of the Pakistan- and Qatar-led mediation.
Related reading on HorizonDesk
- Iran rules out handing over enriched uranium as Pakistan's Munir mediates in Tehran
- Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the US embassy departure order
- Reports of US–Israel plans for Iran strikes after the midterms
- Israel's 27 October election: polls point to no majority
Sources
- Al Jazeera (with Reuters): Iran says Mecca pact states agree to boost cooperation (26 Oct 2026)
- Al Jazeera live: Iran says US 'not serious' about talks; ship ablaze off Iraq (27 Oct 2026)
- The Straits Times: While You Were Sleeping, 27 Oct 2026
- Aaj News: Iran says US is 'not serious' about negotiations (26 Oct 2026)
- Bloomberg via SWI swissinfo.ch: Markets Wrap (27 Oct 2026)
