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The three countries were in security pact talks before the war on Iran, but the conflict has shifted the kingdom's focus on Tehran
From left: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar
Turkey and Pakistan opposed the use of harsh language in a diplomatic statement condemning Iran at a meeting of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers in Riyadh last week, multiple sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
Saudi Arabia, in particular, pressed for a tough censure of Iran, which has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at the kingdom in response to the US-Israel war on the Islamic Republic, a western official familiar with the meeting told MEE.
“Turkey and Pakistan weren’t convinced to condemn Iran until the missiles started flying overhead,” the western official told MEE, referring to strikes that targeted Saudi Arabia while several foreign dignitaries from the Muslim and Arab world were in Riyadh for meetings.
Turkey was only swayed to agree to the language in the statement after Iran's drone and missile attack on Riyadh. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that Tehran should have at least stopped its attack on Riyadh while diplomats were gathered there trying to find a resolution to the conflict.
The gap between the countries does not equate to a serious spat, but it shows how the US-Israeli war on Iran is impacting countries differently, with their positions evolving depending on their national security preferences.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, the different approaches are notable because these countries were in talks on a trilateral security pact before the war.
Another source familiar with the meeting told MEE that had Turkey and Pakistan not attended the ministerial meeting, the Riyadh declaration would have been even stronger in condemning Iran.
The statement was largely tough on Iran, saying that its “attacks cannot be justified under any pretext or in any form”. It reaffirmed the countries' rights to self-defence.
“The participants called on Iran to immediately cease its attacks, respect international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles of good neighborliness, as a first step toward ending the escalation,” the statement added, without making a similar call for Israel or the US to stop their strikes on the Islamic Republic.
Israel was censured in the final two paragraphs for its “aggression against Lebanon and its expansionist policies in the region”.
A source familiar with the matter told MEE that Turkey was largely responsible for pushing to include language in the declaration that condemned Israel.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt held a meeting on the sidelines on joint security after the Riyadh declaration was drafted.
But amid the war, Riyadh appears to be leaning deeper on its decades-old security partner, the US, despite its frustration with the US's dependability as an ally.
MEE was the first to reveal that Saudi Arabia was inching closer to supporting the war on Iran, granting the US access to King Fahd Air Base in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence pact with Pakistan last year, shortly after Israel attacked Hamas negotiators in Doha, Qatar. The agreement was in part seen as a move to diversify defence ties beyond the US. Turkey later entered talks to expand the agreement.
The war on Iran has underscored each country's differing priorities.
While Saudi Arabia opposed the US attack on Iran, it is wary of Tehran asserting control of the Strait of Hormuz and setting a precedent that allows its energy facilities to be targeted, experts tell MEE.
The US is also putting pressure on Riyadh to join offensive operations against Iran.
Turkey, a Nato member, has also come under attack by Iran. However, Ankara does not see the Strait of Hormuz as a key pillar of its national security.
As Iranian missiles and drones target the kingdom, some Saudi commentators have raised the defence pact with Pakistan, saying it places them under the latter’s nuclear umbrella.
A US official told MEE that Islamabad has become wary of some of this language and discussed it with Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan shares a land border with Iran and is one of the few neighbours that have not been targeted with missiles or drones. Pakistan is also home to the second-largest Shia Muslim population in the world after Iran.
Islamabad’s focus on softer language regarding Iran’s attacks on the Gulf could give it an edge, as it positions itself as the mediator between the US and Iran.
“Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict,” Pakistani President Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. The post was shared by President Donald Trump.
From left: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar
Turkey and Pakistan opposed the use of harsh language in a diplomatic statement condemning Iran at a meeting of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers in Riyadh last week, multiple sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
Saudi Arabia, in particular, pressed for a tough censure of Iran, which has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at the kingdom in response to the US-Israel war on the Islamic Republic, a western official familiar with the meeting told MEE.
“Turkey and Pakistan weren’t convinced to condemn Iran until the missiles started flying overhead,” the western official told MEE, referring to strikes that targeted Saudi Arabia while several foreign dignitaries from the Muslim and Arab world were in Riyadh for meetings.
Turkey was only swayed to agree to the language in the statement after Iran's drone and missile attack on Riyadh. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that Tehran should have at least stopped its attack on Riyadh while diplomats were gathered there trying to find a resolution to the conflict.
The gap between the countries does not equate to a serious spat, but it shows how the US-Israeli war on Iran is impacting countries differently, with their positions evolving depending on their national security preferences.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, the different approaches are notable because these countries were in talks on a trilateral security pact before the war.
Another source familiar with the meeting told MEE that had Turkey and Pakistan not attended the ministerial meeting, the Riyadh declaration would have been even stronger in condemning Iran.
The statement was largely tough on Iran, saying that its “attacks cannot be justified under any pretext or in any form”. It reaffirmed the countries' rights to self-defence.
“The participants called on Iran to immediately cease its attacks, respect international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles of good neighborliness, as a first step toward ending the escalation,” the statement added, without making a similar call for Israel or the US to stop their strikes on the Islamic Republic.
Israel was censured in the final two paragraphs for its “aggression against Lebanon and its expansionist policies in the region”.
A source familiar with the matter told MEE that Turkey was largely responsible for pushing to include language in the declaration that condemned Israel.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt held a meeting on the sidelines on joint security after the Riyadh declaration was drafted.
But amid the war, Riyadh appears to be leaning deeper on its decades-old security partner, the US, despite its frustration with the US's dependability as an ally.
MEE was the first to reveal that Saudi Arabia was inching closer to supporting the war on Iran, granting the US access to King Fahd Air Base in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence pact with Pakistan last year, shortly after Israel attacked Hamas negotiators in Doha, Qatar. The agreement was in part seen as a move to diversify defence ties beyond the US. Turkey later entered talks to expand the agreement.
The war on Iran has underscored each country's differing priorities.
While Saudi Arabia opposed the US attack on Iran, it is wary of Tehran asserting control of the Strait of Hormuz and setting a precedent that allows its energy facilities to be targeted, experts tell MEE.
The US is also putting pressure on Riyadh to join offensive operations against Iran.
Turkey, a Nato member, has also come under attack by Iran. However, Ankara does not see the Strait of Hormuz as a key pillar of its national security.
As Iranian missiles and drones target the kingdom, some Saudi commentators have raised the defence pact with Pakistan, saying it places them under the latter’s nuclear umbrella.
A US official told MEE that Islamabad has become wary of some of this language and discussed it with Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan shares a land border with Iran and is one of the few neighbours that have not been targeted with missiles or drones. Pakistan is also home to the second-largest Shia Muslim population in the world after Iran.
Islamabad’s focus on softer language regarding Iran’s attacks on the Gulf could give it an edge, as it positions itself as the mediator between the US and Iran.
“Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict,” Pakistani President Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. The post was shared by President Donald Trump.
