Iran says alliance poses no threat to Tehran

Iran said on Wednesday it did not regard a new defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye as a threat, as Bangladesh weighs whether to join the regional security arrangement and seeks to balance its ties with competing powers.

“We don’t regard the Mecca Peace Pact as against Iran. Their decision does not make us concerned,” Iran’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi told reporters after meeting State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir in Dhaka.

Bangladesh has expressed interest in the pact but has not yet received a formal invitation to join.

Officials have stressed that any decision would be based on national interests and would not affect Dhaka’s relations with other partners.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, also known as the “Mecca Pact”, was signed on Aug. 7 by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye. The agreement has emerged as a new regional security initiative at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East and growing debate over the role of external powers in regional security.

Jahanabadi said Tehran understood Bangladesh’s balanced foreign policy and would not be concerned by Dhaka’s decisions on international or security partnerships.

“When it comes to the foreign policy of your government, we are well aware that your government is enjoying a very balanced foreign policy,” he said.

Iran values its relations with Bangladesh and wants to expand cooperation in political, trade and cultural areas, he added.

The ambassador said the pact reflected a broader desire among regional countries to take greater responsibility for their own security rather than depend on the United States.

“The Peace Pact is good evidence that regional countries and members are trying to stand on their own feet to provide their security. It proves that they no longer want to rely on America for their security,” he said.

He said the experience of the recent war had shown that the presence of U.S. military bases in regional countries could not necessarily guarantee their security.

“Regional countries should rely on themselves for their security,” he said, adding that regional security mechanisms should not be designed to confront other countries.

Bangladesh has also indicated that it sees opportunities in the initiative.
On Sunday, Kobir said Dhaka saw no risk in joining the pact and that membership would not restrict its engagement with other partners.

“This is a unique pact, presenting new opportunities,” he said after a meeting with Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah.

He also said, “Mecca is in the heart of Bangladesh”, underscoring Dhaka’s positive attitude towards the initiative.

But Bangladesh has since adopted a more cautious tone.
On Tuesday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Dhaka was assessing the implications of participation before making a decision.

“We are assessing the situation regarding participation in the Mecca Pact. Bangladesh’s interests will be considered first before joining the alliance,” she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bangladesh’s interest in the pact comes as Dhaka seeks to maintain a balanced foreign policy while expanding ties with Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, as well as Pakistan and Türkiye.

For Tehran, Jahanabadi’s comments signal that Iran does not see Bangladesh’s possible participation as a challenge to bilateral ties.

The Iranian envoy said regional countries should be free to develop security cooperation while avoiding confrontation, suggesting Tehran would judge the emerging arrangements by whether they contribute to regional stability rather than by the identity of their members.