{
  "id": 16612703,
  "title": "Iran hosts Saudi defence pact states as Houthis launch more attacks",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/iran-hosts-saudi-defence-pact-states-as-houthis-launch-more-attacks-16612703",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-26T13:42:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445999/iran-hosts-saudi-defence-pact-states-as-houthis-launch-more-attacks"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Doha, Karachi and Cairo have welcomed top officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey on Monday, aiming to ease tensions in the region. This comes as Yemen's Houthis launched fresh attacks on Riyadh's airport and Saudi oil facilities, intensifying the ongoing conflict that has spread from Saudi Arabia to Yemen. The summit represents the initial high-level contact between Iran and the three nations, who signed the Makkah mutual defense pact in August, since a war that originated from US and Israeli strikes on Iran expanded to encompass Saudi Arabia and Yemen.\n\nThe Saudi Foreign Ministry indicated that the visit aimed to de-escalate tensions and foster dialogue towards diplomatic resolutions. Prince Khalid bin Salman, Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia and brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, alongside Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief, and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, Turkiye's intelligence chief, were set to engage in consultations with Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Iranian officials noted that Tehran had devised plans to attack Gulf undersea cables should the US and Israel launch another military operation.\n\nOn Sunday, Qatari mediators were reportedly in Tehran, an official said. The wider fighting has exacerbated challenges, including disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, rising oil and gas prices, heightened missile and drone attacks in the Gulf, and a growing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Relations between Washington and Tehran have intensified recently, with President Trump hinting at the possibility of additional military action against Iran. Iranian security officials told Reuters that Tehran had drafted detailed plans to counter potential US and Israeli strikes.\n\nThe talks, which included discussions on Israel's expansionist policies, developments in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, as well as the impact of US and Israeli military actions against Iran, aimed to establish regional security mechanisms. The agenda also encompassed US-Iran negotiations, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Strait of Hormuz, and a US blockade of Iranian ports. Iranian officials conveyed to Munir that talks with Washington would only resume once Tehran's demands - such as ending the US blockade and lifting sanctions on Iranian oil exports - were fulfilled.",
  "summary": "DOHA/KARACHI/CAIRO: Top officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye were due in Iran on Monday in a push to de-escalate the regional conflict now afflicting the Gulf kingdom, as Yemen’s Houthis launched further attacks on Riyadh’s airport and Saudi oil facilities. The talks were the first high-level contact between Iran and the three nations — which signed the Makkah mutual defence pact in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}