ISLAMABAD: Iran has expressed interest in joining the recently signed defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Dr Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in an interview.
During an interview with Pakistan’s Geo TV in Islamabad on Thursday, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran Dr Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that Iran should also be included in this pact.
He said that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should form a joint military force of Islamic countries, similar to NATO, adding that aggression against one member nation should be considered aggression against all.
He added that Iran considers Pakistan a valuable asset for the Muslim Ummah and that both countries are facing common challenges, which they can tackle together.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, in September, signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” pledging that aggression against one country would be treated as an attack on both, a move that will enhance joint deterrence and strengthen decades of military and security cooperation.
The pact aims to strengthen defense cooperation, enhance joint deterrence, and formalise the long-standing strategic partnership between the two nations.
The agreement was signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh, where he met Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have for decades maintained close political, military, and economic ties.
The Kingdom hosts more than 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates — the largest overseas community sending remittances back to Pakistan — and has repeatedly provided Islamabad with financial support during its economic crises.
Defence cooperation between the two countries has included training, arms purchases, and joint military exercises.
The recently signed agreement formalises that cooperation into a mutual defence commitment, a move that analysts widely say puts the relationship on par with other major strategic partnerships in the region.
