Naqvi Arrives in Saudi Arabia for Talks
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, a Pakistani official confirmed, without elaborating on the agenda of his visit. The trip comes amid renewed tensions in the Middle East after US attacks on Iran in retaliation for what Washington described as attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Launches Missile and Drone Operation
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Sunday that it had launched a joint missile and drone operation targeting US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, despite an interim peace deal signed with the US on June 18. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries strongly condemned Iran's latest attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as threats to security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan-Saudi Defense Pact Activated
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact last year, under which an attack on one is considered an attack on both. According to a Reuters report in May, Pakistan deployed 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter jets, and an air defense system to Saudi Arabia under the pact, significantly ramping up military cooperation.
An interior ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Arab News: “Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi has arrived in Saudi Arabia today, where he is scheduled to hold meetings with Saudi officials.” When asked about the nature of discussions, the official declined to provide details.
Pakistan's Mediation Role in US-Iran Conflict
Pakistan led a diplomatic push, alongside Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and other regional states, to resolve the US-Iran conflict. This effort culminated in the signing of a 14-point framework agreement, known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on June 18, which ended months of US-Iran war and reopened the Strait of Hormuz. Naqvi also traveled to Iran multiple times as part of Pakistan's peace brokerage.
The US-Iran interim agreement initiated a 60-day negotiating period to finalize a deal on Iran's nuclear program, immediately allowing Tehran to sell its oil freely—a major concession from Washington. However, Iran has insisted that ships must obey its orders and warned it will start charging fees for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas once passed. The US and Gulf Arab states have rejected Iran's demands.
Upcoming High-Level Meeting in Doha
The US announced that a high-level meeting on Iran would be held in Doha on Tuesday, with President Donald Trump's top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner attending, while technical talks would continue on the sidelines.
