Tehran (TDI): A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has suggested that Tehran should also become part of the recently concluded defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said in remarks carried by Iranian media that “Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iraq can move towards a collective defense framework.”
His comments follow the signing of the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) in Riyadh, where Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged that an attack on either country would be regarded as an act of aggression against both. The deal was sealed just a week after Israeli strikes on Qatar unsettled regional dynamics.
International speculation quickly followed, with some outlets suggesting that Pakistan’s nuclear capability might be factored into the accord. The claims gained traction before being dismissed by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif in an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan for Zeteo. Asif made clear that Islamabad was not selling nuclear weapons to Riyadh under the pact.
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Analysts have described the SMDA as an unprecedented step in Pakistan–Saudi relations, noting its legally binding security guarantees. While Pakistan has historically been part of several defense arrangements, they argue this accord marks a shift, effectively positioning Pakistan as the central Muslim military power committed to regional stability.
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Gen Safavi, expanding on the idea, welcomed the Pakistan–Saudi pact as a positive milestone. He added that the influence of the United States in the Middle East was waning as Washington shifted greater attention to the Asia-Pacific, creating space for a broader Islamic security alliance.
“In such circumstances, a regional Islamic coalition can take shape,” the Iranian official remarked.
