Iran holds ‘very good’ talks with Mecca pact nations

TEHRAN

(AA Photo)

Senior officials from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan held talks with Iran on Oct. 26 in an attempt to stop the Middle East war from reigniting, with Tehran saying the discussions were “very good.”

Officials from the three Mecca pact countries flew to Iran as part of efforts to “de-escalate between the parties to the current crisis,” a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.

The talks included Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman and Pakistani army chief General Asim Munir.

It was the first joint visit to Tehran by Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia since they formed a defense alliance in Mecca, the holy city in western Saudi Arabia, in August.

The delegations met Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

 
The meeting ended without concrete announcements, with the various parties saying they “agreed to continue discussions” according to Iranian state media.

But Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei said the discussions in the capital Tehran were “very good, according to state television.

“I feel that a new atmosphere is emerging in the region... I sensed a very positive atmosphere in the discussions among the gentlemen,” said the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

He said they agreed that security in the region “should be achieved by the countries themselves, and that we must prevent any kind of foreign intervention,” saying emphasis was put on the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, southern Syria, Gaza and the West Bank.

Regional tensions have risen ahead of Israel’s pivotal elections on Oct. 27 and next week’s U.S. midterms, where U.S. President Donald Trump’s Republicans are battling to keep control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress.