Senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, has called for Tehran to join the newly signed Pakistan–Saudi Arabia defence pact, hailing it as a “positive development” for the Muslim world.
Speaking after Islamabad and Riyadh inked the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), Gen Safavi suggested expanding the pact to include Iran and Iraq, creating a broader regional security alliance.
The Pak-Saudi agreement, signed in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, pledges that any attack on either country will be treated as aggression against both. The deal comes in the wake of Israel’s strikes on Qatar, reshaping the regional security landscape.
Amid speculation that Pakistan’s nuclear assets were part of the pact, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif clarified in an interview that Pakistan is not selling nuclear weapons to Saudi Arabia. He emphasized the pact’s real significance lies in its binding security clause, making it one of the most historic military partnerships in the Muslim world.
Experts believe the pact not only cements Pakistan–Saudi ties but also strengthens Pakistan’s role as the leading Muslim military power capable of ensuring regional stability.
Gen Safavi added that US influence in the Middle East is waning as Washington shifts focus to the Asia-Pacific. “In this situation, we can establish a regional Islamic alliance,” he said, pointing to new opportunities for unity among Muslim nations.
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