▲ Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meets with representatives of member states of the 'Mecca Agreement,' including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, in Tehran, Iran, on the 26th.
High-ranking officials from three member countries of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement—Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey—along with Iran, met for the first time in the Iranian capital of Tehran yesterday, local time (the 26th), and released a short joint statement pledging to "continue dialogue to strengthen cooperation."
According to Iran's IRNA news agency, the representatives of the four countries stated in their post-meeting joint statement, "The participants agreed to continue dialogue to strengthen cooperation among the four regional countries, including regional peace and security."
Yesterday's meeting was attended by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff and military commander General Asim Munir, and Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Chief Ibrahim Kalin, while Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, chaired the meeting.
Following the talks, Secretary Rezaei stated that the four nations "agreed that regional security must be guaranteed by regional countries themselves," emphasizing that each country should achieve its own security and thoroughly block any foreign intervention.
However, this remark was not included in the joint statement, leaving the specific level of discussion among the participating countries unconfirmed.
Rezaei also added that he had "very good discussions" with the representatives of the Mecca Agreement parties, saying, "I feel that a new atmosphere is forming in the region. I sensed a very positive atmosphere in our discussions with the representatives of each country."
He further noted, "The issue of Israel occupying various regions was specifically emphasized," urging that "Israel must immediately withdraw from southern Lebanon, southern Syria, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, and halt these acts of aggression."
This meeting marked the first high-level contact between Saudi Arabia and Iran since July, when military clashes intensified between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's pro-Iran Houthi rebels.
AFP reported that the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously stated the purpose of this meeting was "to de-escalate tensions between the parties to the current crisis."
The representatives of the three Mecca Agreement countries also met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Erdogan warned that the resumption of attacks against Iran would cause regional instability and harm even countries not party to the conflict.
President Erdogan urged all parties to refrain from any actions that could drag the region into a new cycle of violence.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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