Pakistan

Qatar says Iran needs to show good intentions for mediation efforts to succeed

Qatar urged Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt threats against Gulf states, saying Tehran must demonstrate goodwill for mediation efforts to succeed.

|ByREUTERS
Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of 81st United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, US, September 22, 2026.
A woman walks next to a banner with a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, earlier this month.

Iran security chief meets Supreme Leader Khamenei after talks with Mecca pact countries

State media said Khamenei had stressed the importance of pursuing Iran's interests and maintaining its conditions for ending the war.

|ByREUTERS
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud prepare to pose for a picture before the first committee meeting under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.

Mecca defense pact faces test as Saudi delegation arrives for high-stakes Iran talks - analysis

The test in Tehran is whether the countries can come away with something practical. Skeptics about the pact's members have argued that the three countries are not making the agreement have teeth.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
National flags of Pakistan (L) and Saudi Arabia flutter at Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs premises in Islamabad on March 29, 2026. Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey met on March 29 for talks on the war in the Middle East, with Islamabad acting as a go-between fo

Tehran hosts Saudi defense pact states as Iran-backed Houthis launch more attacks

Saudi Arabia will be represented by Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Pakistan by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, the people said on condition of anonymity.

|ByREUTERS

Regional geopolitical shifts felt as Mecca agreement, Israel-Greek pacts develop - analysis

The two events happening on the same day are a coincidence, because both have been in the works for some time. However, it is symbolic of how the Middle East is being reshaped.

AUGUST 31, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud prepare to pose for a picture before the first committee meeting under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan to hold first meeting under new defense pact in Istanbul

Senior officials from the three countries will discuss joint military cooperation, defense production, and coordination mechanisms in the first talks since the Mecca Agreement was signed.

AUGUST 30, 2026ByAMICHAI STEIN
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by their ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, pose after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

What will happen if Iran, Egypt, Bangladesh join Mecca Joint Defense Agreement? - analysis

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan’s new defense pact is already attracting interest from Bangladesh, Egypt, and Iran. But expansion could reshape regional security, alliances, and power balances.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE / THE MEDIA LINE
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by their ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, pose after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Islamabad hospital fire kills at least 14 infants, Pakistan PM says

The fire was reportedly caused by a fault in air conditioning systems.

AUGUST 26, 2026ByREUTERS
Pakistani nurses take care of newborn babies at the Neonatal intensive care unit of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on February 20, 2018

US offers to lift Iran sanctions if Tehran reopens Strait of Hormuz, stops proxy attacks - report

The Strait of Hormuz has been severely affected in recent months, with shipping traffic through the waterway sharply declining amid Iranian threats and restrictions.

AUGUST 25, 2026ByELI LEON
Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, August 24, 2026.

Pakistan says army chief held talks with Iran focused on preventing further escalation in MidEast

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir discussed regional peace and ways to reach a negotiated settlement to disputes, the statement added.

AUGUST 25, 2026ByESTHER DAVIS, REUTERS
IRANIAN PRESIDENT Masoud Pezeshkian meets with chief of Defence Forces of Pakistan, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in Tehran, Iran, May 23, 2026.

Pakistani military chief Munir spoke to Trump before visit for negotiations to Tehran

The call, which has not been previously reported, came as the US threatened to roll out major economic sanctions targeting Iran and its trade partners.

AUGUST 24, 2026ByREUTERS
Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (L) stands with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir prior to a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21.

Omani foreign minister to visit Tehran, continue negotiations on Strait of Hormuz

On Sunday, Baghaei said the army chief of Pakistan, which has mediated between the United States and Iran, will visit Tehran on Monday.

AUGUST 24, 2026ByREUTERS
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (2nd L), Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (2nd R), and Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi (R) walk inside a building in Muscat, Oman, on June 22, 2026.

Pakistan’s rise as a regional mediator could reshape Middle East diplomacy - analysis

Pakistan is expanding its Middle East influence, deepening ties with Syria, preparing talks with Iran, and positioning itself as a potential mediator between Tehran and Washington.

AUGUST 23, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Pakistani flags flutter near the Parliament House, as delegations from the United States and Iran are expected to hold peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026.

Voices from the Arab Press: The Mecca agreement changes the equation

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

AUGUST 23, 2026ByTHE MEDIA LINE
TURKISH NAVY FORCES aboard the TCG Gaziantep (F-490), a guided-missile frigate, ahead of launch of drilling vessel ‘Cagri Bey,’ set to conduct Turkey’s first deep-sea drilling operation in the Indian Ocean near the Mogadishu seaport, in Somalia, April 10.