Mecca Alliance Opens Emergency Talks in Tehran to Halt Houthi Attacks

Representatives from the Mecca Defense Alliance convened in Tehran on October 26 to negotiate a halt to escalating violence in the Middle East. The trilateral pact, comprising Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, met with Iranian officials to address intensifying Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure and the ongoing standoff with the United States.

The conflict intensified earlier in October when Houthi rebels struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The attack killed 13 people and wounded more than 300 others. In response, Saudi Arabia launched counterstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The Houthis have also warned airlines against using Saudi airspace, complicating regional travel at a time when the Strait of Hormuz is closed.

The closure of the strait has disrupted global energy supplies, as the waterway typically handles one-fifth of the world's oil and gas flows. A senior security official in Islamabad stated that the primary goal of the Tehran meeting is to convince Iran to use its influence over the Houthis to stop attacks on Saudi Arabia. The official indicated that the alliance is prepared to offer closer Saudi-Israeli security cooperation as an incentive for Tehran to comply.

The official noted that since Turkey already maintains diplomatic relations with Israel, the alliance could propose that Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords. The 2020 accords normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. However, the official added that Iran is unlikely to soften its stance on broader negotiations with the United States regarding the current war.

Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, visited Tehran last week to deliver what analysts described as a last warning to the Iranian government. Islamabad-based analyst Azaz Syed characterized the current diplomatic push as a last-ditch effort to secure a negotiated settlement with the United States. Syed said the alliance partners will request an end to Houthi attacks, but the key message involves a broader regional settlement.

Hamidreza Azizi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the meeting as a final attempt to prevent another escalation. He stated that the immediate priority is preventing the resumption of war between Iran and the United States. Azizi observed that the timing suggests regional countries are concerned that diplomatic efforts may be running out of time.

Tensions between Iran and Pakistan have also risen in recent weeks. Islamabad closed two border crossings between Baluchistan and Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan Province. Pakistan also changed its digital declaration procedures for tracking foreign currency remittances on Iranian exports. Sources reported that Islamabad suspended operating clearance for Mahan Air, an Iranian airline with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Iranian and Pakistani authorities have not confirmed or denied these reports.

In reaction to the Pakistani measures, Iran stopped exporting Liquified Petroleum Gas to Pakistan. This move caused gas prices to rise for domestic and commercial consumers in Pakistan, which imports approximately 7,000 metric tons of LPG daily from Iran. Reza Amiri Moghadam, the Iranian envoy to Islamabad, said consultations are underway to address cross-border trade. He noted that several hundred trucks carrying LPG have been stuck at the Rimdan border for several weeks without being unloaded.

Rabia Akhtar, a professor of international relations at the University of Lahore, said the alliance aims to prevent the confrontation from escalating further. She argued that the meeting represents regional crisis management rather than the creation of a new security architecture. Akhtar stated that establishing an understanding on restraint regarding Saudi security and Houthi actions would be a meaningful outcome.