Mecca Alliance Delegation Arrives in Tehran for Security Talks

Leaders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan arrived in Tehran on Monday to meet with Iranian officials. The delegation from the Mecca Defence Alliance aims to end the ongoing war between Iran, the United States, and Israel. The group also seeks to build a security framework that operates independently of Washington.

The meeting involves Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi defence minister, Asim Munir, the Pakistani army chief, and Ibrahim Kalin, the Turkish intelligence chief. They are in discussions with Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Rayed Krimly, the Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy, confirmed the talks on X. He stated the alliance is working toward de-escalation and supporting mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan.

The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel started their war on Iran. Regional nations have increasingly questioned the value of the US security umbrella. They argue it has failed to protect them while allowing Israel to attack neighbors. Israel has struck Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Qatar, and Yemen since the Gaza war began in October 2023. It has also sought to destabilize Somalia and Sudan alongside the United Arab Emirates.

Ali Salehian, a director at the Governance and Policy Think Tank in Tehran, described the meeting as significant. He noted that major regional actors are working to build an autonomous order based on local powers rather than external ones. Salehian said the malfunction of the US security guarantee leaves regional countries as targets for retaliatory strikes by Iran. He pointed to Washington's treatment of Ukraine as a warning for other nations relying on US support.

The alliance is also seeking to reassure Tehran that its new defence pact does not target Iran. Gokhan Cinkara, a director at Necmettin Erbakan University in Turkey, said the main motivation is a sincere effort to show they would not join a potential attack on Iran. However, he cautioned against expecting an immediate breakthrough. Cinkara said the alliance is creating an alternative security framework to the Iran and Israel axes rather than pursuing a joint agreement with Iran.

The Tehran meeting signals to Israel and the US that the alliance members do not want further war. Over the weekend, Israeli press reported an alleged confrontation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and army chief Eyal Zamir. Zamir reportedly opposed launching attacks on Iran before Israeli elections. Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, said the meeting carries a message that regional countries are developing independent security arrangements.

Iranian diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed the meeting as a chance to lay foundations for a West Asia Security Network. He stated that regional security must be built by its peoples together. For Saudi Arabia, the talks offer a chance to appeal to Iran to mediate an end to fighting with the Houthis in Yemen. The UAE, a junior partner in the US-Israeli effort, has remained quiet about the meeting. Salehian said the UAE's support for Israel may lead to a response from the region.