Pakistani Army Chief Arrives in Tehran to Mediate US-Iran Talks

Pakistan's army chief traveled to Tehran to revive US-Iran negotiations after talks in Islamabad on April 11 ended without agreement on April 12, despite being the highest-level direct talks since Iran's 1979 revolution. The mediation effort occurs against the backdrop of Pakistan's Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia signed September 17, 2025, which commits both nations to treat aggression against one as aggression against both and has led to Pakistani military deployment to King Abdulaziz airbase in Saudi Arabia's Eastern province. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between Washington and Tehran expires April 22, while a US naval blockade of Iranian ports took effect April 14, which Iran's armed forces called piracy. The complex diplomacy involves Saudi Arabia conducting its first public calls with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on April 9 and April 13, even as Iran continues strikes against Gulf neighbors and Saudi oil infrastructure remains a primary target.

Pakistan's Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia

• ▪A formal agreement in 1982 institutionalized the deployment of Pakistani armed forces personnel to Saudi Arabia for training purposes
• ▪Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated on March 3 that Pakistan had personally conveyed Pakistan's obligations under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
• ▪The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was signed on September 17, 2025, at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
• ▪Pakistan has trained thousands of Saudi military personnel since 1967

Pakistan's mediation role in US-Iran negotiations

• ▪The US and Iranian delegations left Islamabad on April 12 without a deal
• ▪Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with United States Vice President JD Vance on April 11 on the sidelines of direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran
• ▪The April 11 negotiations between Washington and Tehran were the highest-level direct negotiations between the United States and Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution of Iran
• ▪A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan between Washington and Tehran is set to expire on April 22

Balancing military commitments with diplomatic neutrality

• ▪The Pakistani government made no official statement on the Saudi deployment announcement in the two days following April 11
• ▪Pakistani pilots flew for Arab air forces during the 1967 Six-Day War
• ▪During the 1970s and 1980s, Pakistani troops were stationed in significant numbers in Saudi Arabia, including to protect oil infrastructure in the Eastern province

Regional military positioning and future risks

• ▪Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud held a second call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on April 13 focusing on regional developments and the outcome of the Islamabad talks
• ▪Pakistan's air force chief Zaheer Ahmed Babar visited Saudi Arabia in January 2026 and met his Saudi counterpart Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz
• ▪The Saudi air force operates 72 Eurofighter Typhoons
• ▪Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud held the first publicly announced call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on April 9 since Iran began strikes against Gulf neighbours
• ▪The Saudi air force operates more than 200 F-15 variants, the second largest F-15 fleet in the world after the United States
• ▪A US naval blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas came into effect on April 14

Perspective of Saudi Arabia

• ▪Saudi Arabia initiated direct diplomatic contact with Iran through two foreign minister calls on April 9 and April 13 despite ongoing hostilities

Perspective of United States

• ▪The United States engaged in the highest-level direct negotiations with Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution during the April 11 talks
• ▪The United States implemented a naval blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas effective April 14 during ongoing negotiations