Pakistan has indicated it could be pulled into the conflict involving Iran, pointing to its bilateral defence pact with Saudi Arabia, which has been targeted in Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he warned his Iranian counterpart against launching missiles or drones at Saudi Arabia. Speaking to The Financial Times, Dar stated that he reminded Iran of the defence agreement between Islamabad and Riyadh. This marks the first time a Pakistani official has publicly suggested that the pact could apply to the ongoing war, which began after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
The conflict has widened across the region, with Iran targeting US military bases, embassies and energy infrastructure. In Riyadh, an Iranian drone reportedly struck a CIA facility located within the US embassy compound. Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery — one of its largest — was also attacked, temporarily halting operations, and the US embassy in Riyadh came under fire.
The Pakistan-Saudi defence agreement
Dar said the defence pact may have helped limit the scale of Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia, noting that the kingdom faced fewer strikes compared to others. He also said Iran sought assurances that Saudi territory would not be used to launch attacks against it.
The agreement, signed in September last year, functions along the lines of a NATO-style mutual defence arrangement, treating an attack on one country as an attack on both. It formalised closer security cooperation between the two nations after years of strained ties.
Saudi Arabia has since stated it retains the right to respond to Iranian aggression. The warning followed a Cabinet meeting chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Risks for Pakistan
For Pakistan, any military involvement would be complex and risky. The country shares a border with Iran and has a significant Shia population estimated at around 40 million, many of whom are sympathetic to Tehran. Protests have already erupted following reports that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in recent strikes, with dozens of civilian casualties reported.
At the same time, Pakistan remains engaged in cross-border tensions with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Entering the Iran conflict under the defence pact could therefore expose Islamabad to the strain of a potential two-front situation, adding to its existing security challenges.
