Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, travelled to Tehran on 26 October 2026 for a quadrilateral meeting with senior officials from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, Pakistan’s military said. The discussions came as Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthi militia intensified attacks on Saudi infrastructure and as regional leaders sought diplomatic channels to reduce the risk of wider escalation.
“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, Chief of the Army Staff & Chief of Defense Forces (COAS & CDF) is visiting Tehran, Iran for an official visit,” Pakistan’s military said in a statement.
Who attended and what was discussed
Iranian and Saudi state outlets and Saudi officials said Saudi Arabia was represented by Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Türkiye sent intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın. Iranian state media reported that the delegation heads held detailed meetings with Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and were expected to meet President Masoud Pezeshkian later on 26 October.
- Agenda items reported by Iranian and regional media included the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the consequences of potential US or Israeli strikes on Iran, and broader regional security arrangements.
- Iran’s deputy national security secretary, Ali Bagheri Kani, framed the meeting as a step towards an indigenous regional security framework and said the initiative had been proposed during Munir’s earlier visit to Tehran.
- Arab News and Iranian reporting noted this was the first high‑level contact in the four‑country format since the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed in August 2026.
Pakistan’s role and official positioning
Pakistan’s military described the visit as official and part of Islamabad’s diplomatic engagement to de‑escalate tensions. The Arab News report said Pakistan has also sought to revive stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iranian media, quoting Ali Bagheri Kani, said the meeting could help shape a regional security framework without foreign interference.
| Country | Representative (reported) |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | Field Marshal Asim Munir |
| Saudi Arabia | Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman |
| Türkiye | Intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın |
| Iran | Mohsen Rezaei; Ali Bagheri Kani (deputy secretary) |
Iranian state news agency IRNA reported no immediate outcome from the Tehran discussions. Arab News noted the four‑way consultations occurred against a backdrop of intensified Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities and concerns about a wider conflict after US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets earlier in 2026.
Ali Bagheri Kani was quoted by Iranian state television as saying the meeting had been proposed during Munir’s earlier visit and that it could be “an effective and important step in shaping an indigenous regional security framework.” The meeting follows wider mediation efforts in which Pakistan and Qatar have participated, according to reports.
The participating capitals have described the talks as part of de‑escalation and diplomatic engagement; Saudi statements framed their delegation’s presence as aimed at opening negotiating channels to prevent renewed military escalation, according to Arab News and Saudi officials.
No operational commitments, troop movements or specific security guarantees were announced by the delegations in Tehran in the reports cited.
