Will Pakistan be the next country to enter Iran-Israel war? Here’s what minister Ishaq Dar hints
Pakistan has indicated that it could be pulled into the widening Iran war, citing its bilateral defence pact with Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has been one of the Gulf nations targeted by Tehran in a series of retaliatory missile and drone strikes. According to a report in the Financial Times, Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar said he cautioned his Iranian counterpart against launching attacks on Saudi territory.
“I made them (Iran) understand that we have a defence agreement,” Dar said. This marks the first clear confirmation from a Pakistani official that the defence pact might be activated in the context of the Iran war, which erupted after the United States and Israel initiated joint strikes last week. The conflict has since dragged in multiple regional players as Iran hit American military bases, diplomatic facilities and critical energy sites.
Saudi Arabia seeks protection
Dar emphasised that the security pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia acted as a deterrent and prevented heavier strikes on Riyadh. “Unlike all other countries, Saudi Arabia faced the least attacks,” he added. At the same time, Dar said Iran sought guarantees from Islamabad that Saudi territory would not be used to launch operations against Tehran. As he noted, “They asked for some assurances that their soil shouldn’t be used against Iran.”
The pact, formalised in September last year, functions on a NATO-style framework in which an attack on one country is considered an attack on both. It marked a significant moment of renewed security cooperation between the two Muslim nations after years of strained relations.
Region on edge as Iran-Israel war intensifies
Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply after Iran fired missiles at Israel early Thursday, triggering the sixth consecutive day of aerial attacks. The strike came soon after reports emerged that an American submarine had sunk an Iranian warship which prompted Tehran to threaten widespread destruction of military and economic infrastructure across the region.
Israel confirmed incoming Iranian missiles shortly after announcing fresh strikes in Lebanon. These operations targeted Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut as part of a coordinated action against Iranian-backed factions. Meanwhile, the United States and Israel continued heavy bombardment on Wednesday, hitting Iranian military units and key centres of authority.
Chaos deepens as Iranian leadership crisis unfolds
The intensity of attacks on Iran grew so rapidly that state television announced the postponement of the mourning ceremony for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the onset of the conflict. This development drew comparisons to the massive public mourning during the funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.
The war, launched jointly by the US and Israel on Saturday, has targeted Iran’s leadership, missile infrastructure and nuclear capabilities. Although Washington and Tel Aviv have hinted that regime change could be a long-term objective, shifting statements on goals and timelines suggest that the confrontation may be prolonged and unpredictable.
