Iran hosts Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials for regional security talks
- Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir and Turkey's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin are in Tehran for Monday talks.
- Saudi officials say the meeting is part of efforts to calm the Middle East crisis and back mediation by Qatar and Pakistan.
- The talks come after eight months of war and as the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint for global oil and gas shipments.
Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are meeting Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday to discuss regional security, according to Iranian and Saudi authorities.
The talks come after eight months of war in the Middle East and recent threats by the United States and Israel of fresh attacks on Iran.
Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief General Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin would take part. He told state television that Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei would also be at the meeting.
Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Dr Rayed Krimly confirmed that the kingdom's defence minister was leading a delegation to Tehran on Monday.
Krimly said in a post on X that the visit was part of continued efforts by the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement countries to calm the parties in the ongoing crisis. He said it aimed at "promoting dialogue and diplomatic solutions", and backed mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan.
Why it matters for Nigeria
The Middle East crisis is not far from Nigerian pockets. The Strait of Hormuz, which Iran says it controls, used to carry about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. Fighting over the waterway, and a US naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports, has kept global fuel prices jittery.
For Nigeria, a major importer of refined petrol, any prolonged tension in that corridor can feed through to pump prices and transport costs. It also affects the cost of imports and the naira's standing against the dollar.
The war began in late February when the US and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran while Washington and Tehran were negotiating Iran's nuclear programme. An April ceasefire ended the first phase of heavy bombardment, but both sides have continued to contest the strait. Iran says it targets vessels crossing without its permission.
Diplomatic efforts have stalled since a June deal setting out a path to a permanent settlement collapsed. The conflict has also spread, including fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
What happens next
Monday's meeting is one of the few direct contacts between Saudi and Iranian officials since the war widened. Whether it produces a concrete de-escalation step is unclear; the sources gave no timetable or agenda beyond regional security and support for Qatar- and Pakistan-led mediation.
