Pakistan Army Chief Holds Emergency Defence Talks With Saudi Arabia Amid Iranian Missile Campaign
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's most senior military commander flew to Saudi Arabia on Saturday for emergency security consultations with the kingdom's defence minister, as Iranian drone and missile strikes on Saudi territory push a bilateral defence pact signed just months ago to its first real test.
Field Marshal Asim Munir, holding the dual roles of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff, sat down with Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud to assess the deteriorating security picture and explore coordinated responses under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) — a mutual security guarantee both nations formalised in September last year.
The ISPR confirmed both sides reviewed "the gravity of the security situation" stemming from Iranian strikes and discussed steps to halt them within the SMDA framework, while stressing that unprovoked aggression forecloses paths to peaceful resolution.
Pakistan's statement, however, struck a noticeably softer tone than Riyadh's. Where the Saudi minister's post on X called directly for Iran to halt attacks, Islamabad's language pivoted quickly toward restraint — expressing hope that "brotherly country Iran" would show wisdom and avoid further escalation. The distinction was deliberate, reflecting Islamabad's need to reassure Riyadh without burning bridges with Tehran, with whom it shares a long and sensitive border.
The talks follow a week of intense Pakistani diplomatic activity. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar claimed earlier that Islamabad's direct outreach to Tehran had prevented a heavier Iranian barrage on Saudi infrastructure. Separately, Pakistan formally asked Saudi Arabia to activate an alternative oil corridor through the port of Yanbu after Iranian actions led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, threatening Islamabad's fuel supply chain.
With Washington and Tehran still on a collision course, analysts warn the pressure on Pakistan to take a clearer side will only intensify.
Mohsin Rana
