Alliance Meets Iran Over Houthi Strikes

Oil prices and air travel routes across the Middle East face new pressure as diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey opened talks with Iran in Tehran on Sunday. The meeting aims to halt missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, which have targeted Saudi airports and energy facilities while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to most traffic.

The crisis intensified earlier this month when Houthi fighters struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. That attack killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. Since then, rebels have warned airlines to avoid Saudi airspace. In response, Saudi forces launched strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies, has been shut, disrupting energy flows for weeks.

The Mecca Defense Alliance, a trilateral pact modeled on NATO's Article 5, brought its three members together for this snap session. A senior security official in Islamabad said the primary goal is to convince Iran to use its influence to stop the Houthis. The official noted that the alliance may propose closer security ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel as a bargaining chip. If Tehran refuses to restrain the Houthis, the trio could push for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, the 2020 agreements that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states.

The talks also address the looming conflict between the United States and Iran. Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, traveled to Tehran last week to deliver a final warning to Iranian leaders. Analyst Azaz Syed described the current diplomatic push as a last-ditch effort to secure a negotiated settlement before Washington resumes military strikes. Islamabad-based analyst Azaz Syed told RFE/RL that while the alliance will demand an end to Houthi attacks, the key message is a broader regional settlement.

Hamidreza Azizi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, views the Tehran meeting as a final attempt to prevent another escalation of the US-Iran war. He noted that the timing reflects growing concern that diplomatic channels are running out of time. The immediate priority for regional mediators is to stop the resumption of full-scale war between Washington and Tehran.

Tensions between Iran and Pakistan have also complicated the diplomatic environment. Islamabad recently closed two border crossings in Baluchistan and suspended operating clearance for Mahan Air, an Iranian carrier linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In reaction, Iran halted liquefied petroleum gas exports to Pakistan. This move caused gas prices to spike for domestic and commercial users in a country that imports approximately 7,000 metric tons of LPG daily from its neighbor. Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam stated that consultations are underway to resolve the stalled trade, noting that several hundred trucks have waited at the Rimdan border for weeks without being cleared.

Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly posted on social media that the meeting underscores the alliance's commitment to regional stability. Professor Rabia Akhtar of the University of Lahore said the participants are focused on crisis management rather than creating a new security architecture. She noted that establishing a basic understanding on restraint regarding Saudi security and Houthi actions would be a meaningful outcome.

The Tehran talks conclude on a factual note of ongoing negotiations, with no immediate announcement of a ceasefire or a new treaty signed at the close of the day.