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Pakistan's Asim Munir, Saudi discuss ‘measures’ of key defence pact needed to halt Iranian attacks
Saudi's defence minister said discussions covered steps to end the war under the “Joint Strategic Defense Agreement” signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi defence minister Khalid bin Salman met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss the Iranian attacks on the Gulf nation amid retaliation against US-Israeli strikes in the region, according to a statement posted by the Saudi minister on Saturday.
Since the conflict began following a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Tehran has launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and several Gulf nations in retaliation. Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, said earlier this week that at least two drone strikes had targeted the Ras Tanura refinery in the eastern part of the country. Follow US-Iran war live updates here.
On Saturday as well, Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile that had been launched towards Prince Sultan Air Base, located southeast of the capital Riyadh and houses US military personnel, the country’s defence ministry said.
Salman-Asim Munir key meet amid US-Israel vs Iran war
Salman met Pakistan’s army chief to discuss the Iranian missile and drone attacks on the Gulf nation and the “measures needed to halt them” as Tehran carries out retaliatory strikes against the continuing US-Israeli attacks on the country that led to the killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The defence minister also said discussions covered steps to end the war under the “Joint Strategic Defense Agreement” signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
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In a statement posted on X, Saudi’s defence minister wrote, “We discussed Iranian attacks on the Kingdom and the measures needed to halt them within the framework of our Joint Strategic Defense Agreement. We stressed that such actions undermine regional security and stability and expressed hope that the Iranian side will exercise wisdom and avoid miscalculation.”
Notably, Khamenei’s death last week sparked outrage among many Shiites, including in Pakistan. Protests were held in the country’s capital and in other places on Friday to condemn the killing of Iran's supreme leader.
What is Pakistan-Saudi’s mutual defence pact?
The agreement, signed in September last year, is based on the “historic partnership” between the two countries and their “shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation”, according to a joint statement.
The pact says that an attack on either country will be treated as an attack on both. Saudi Arabia has long maintained strong economic, religious and security ties with Pakistan, including reportedly supporting funding for Islamabad’s nuclear weapons programme during its development, Associated Press reported.
“This agreement ... aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression,” the statement said.
The agreement was signed following Israeli attacks on Qatar. In September, Israeli fighter jets flying over the Red Sea launched ballistic missiles targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, a US defence official told Associated Press.
With inputs from agencies
