Pezeshkian urges 'regional unity' in meeting with Makkah pact countries in Tehran

Dawn · 26/10/2026، 7:17:06 PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday called for “regional unity” at a meeting in Tehran with representatives of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, which recently signed the Makkah defence pact. “I hope that the presence of representatives of important and influential Islamic countries at this meeting will help further consolidate regional unity and cohesion,” Pezeshkian said, according to a statement shared on the presidential website, urging Islamic countries to “stand together and adopt a coordinated position”. “Muslims are brothers to one another and must stand together as a united front against threats and actions targeting Muslim nations,” he stressed. Condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and other regional countries, he said: “We must not allow the Israeli regime to assassinate and aggress against any individual or country whenever it desires. I am confident that if Islamic countries stand alongside each other and adopt a coordinated stance, the possibility of such actions repeating will not exist.” The Iranian president also criticised the United States for claiming “readiness for negotiation and dialogue simultaneously with attacking Iran” during the war. Pezeshkian stressed the need for translating political understandings into practical actions, stating: “We are determined to tread this path, but achieving this goal requires Islamic countries to reach a common understanding of their objectives, draw a clear vision, and pursue the implementation of agreements with mutual commitment until results are achieved.” He cautioned against policies of the United States and Israel that were aimed at “creating a rift among Muslim nations”, and called for heightened vigilance. The Iranian president also called for increased cooperation among regional countries in various fields. Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster earlier shared a video of the meeting, saying the quadrilateral meeting on “regional security and stability” had begun. The video showed Chief of Defence