Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaie said Monday that Iran has not received an invitation to join the trilateral defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, known as the Mecca Agreement. Baghaie added that proposals have been raised to hold talks with these countries on regional security, according to The Zioneer.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaie said Monday that Iran has not received an invitation to join the trilateral defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan — the Mecca Agreement — but added that proposals have been raised to hold talks with these countries on regional security.
The statement marks a reversal from earlier reports in the thread. On Friday, Aug 21, multiple Iranian sources reported that Tehran had received an invitation. The head of the Iranian parliament's news agency, Mehdi Rahimi, confirmed receipt in an interview with Lebanon's Al Mayadeen, saying Iran was reviewing the offer. Earlier that day, The Zioneer reported the invitation, and Al Mayadeen cited an unnamed Iranian source. The Iranian sources' claims were published at 11:41 Jerusalem on Friday.
The Mecca Agreement, signed earlier this year, is a security cooperation framework among Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Qatar has rejected joining, while Syria has expressed interest in the pact. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the agreement with his Pakistani counterpart last week, as The Zioneer reported. Baghaie had earlier stated that the pact is not directed against Iran, citing deep ties.
The contradiction between the earlier Iranian confirmations and today's denial remains unresolved. It is unclear whether the proposed talks will lead to any agreement or if Iran's position has shifted.
10 developments
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- DevelopingIran: Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey defense deal shows 'change in perception' toward US
- DevelopingIranian advisor: Pakistan lost neutrality after joining Saudi-Turkey defense pact
Source and signal
- Open-source intake