Mecca Defence Pact to Weigh Iran Proposal for Political Engagement With Houthis

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Ishaq Dar attends a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to discuss stability in the region following an interim deal between the U.S. and Iran, at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan will discuss an Iranian proposal for political engagement with Yemen’s Houthis at an emergency meeting of the Mecca defence pact in Riyadh next week, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said.

The proposal comes as Saudi Arabia faces a rise in Houthi attacks, including strikes Riyadh says have targeted Islam’s two holiest cities.

Dar told a news conference that the three members of the defence pact would consider possible next steps at the Riyadh meeting. A final date has yet to be announced.

According to Dar, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi want the issue resolved, while Tehran has sought to distance itself from the Houthis and Iraqi militias.

Dar described the idea of engaging the Houthis politically as an informal suggestion raised during discussions with Araqchi rather than a formal Iranian proposal.

“There is no written, solid offer. It is brainstorming between two foreign ministers,” Dar said, adding that the approach would be considered as an alternative to military action.

More than six countries have expressed interest in joining the Mecca defence pact, Dar said, without identifying them or specifying whether all were Muslim-majority states.

He added that new membership could not be considered until the alliance was fully operational, a process that could take as long as a year.

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, committing to treat an armed attack on any member as an attack against all three.

Military chiefs from the three countries met in Riyadh on September 25 and condemned Houthi attacks. Pakistan’s military leadership also condemned attacks against Saudi Arabia on Friday and reiterated its commitment to the security of Islam’s holy sites.

Dar separately said there should be no new fee or changes affecting passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which has become a central issue in diplomatic efforts surrounding the nearly seven-month conflict between the United States and Iran.