Saudi Prince and Pakistani Army Chief Head to Tehran

Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi defense minister, and Field Marshal Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan’s army, are scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Monday. They will join Turkey’s intelligence chief for talks with Iranian counterparts. Two people familiar with the plans described the gathering as a high-level coordination meeting.

The meeting marks the first direct contact between Iran and all three members of the Mecca Pact since fighting intensified in the region. Saudi forces intercepted missiles and drones from Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday. The strikes on Riyadh have continued without pause.

The three nations signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in August. The treaty treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. A text of the agreement commits parties to use all necessary means to protect each other's borders and sovereignty.

Ministers from the bloc held an emergency session in Riyadh earlier this month. They agreed to deploy military forces to Saudi Arabia quickly. The conflict has added a new layer of instability to the wider war involving the United States and Israel.

The pact has not yet entered full force. Pakistan approved the agreement last week. In Turkey, parliamentary efforts to ratify the deal began last week and remain ongoing. Saudi and Pakistani officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The gathering in Tehran comes as the Houthi attacks strain the alliance's cohesion. The presence of senior military figures signals a direct channel for managing the crisis.