ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conveyed to Iran that any Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia would be viewed as attacks against Pakistan itself, a Pakistani official told Reuters, as tensions rise following missile strikes on the Kingdom.
What message did Pakistan send to Iran?
A Pakistani official said the country’s senior civilian and military leadership had communicated to Tehran that attacks on Saudi Arabia would cross a red line for Islamabad.
“Our top civil and military leaders have conveyed to Iran at the highest level that the attacks on Saudi Arabia are attacks on Pakistan,” the official said.
The remarks come after Yemen’s Houthi movement launched missiles toward Saudi Arabia following accusations that Riyadh had carried out an attack on an airport under Houthi control.
The incident ended a four-year period of relative calm along the Saudi-Yemen border, although officials said the exchange has so far remained limited to a single episode.
Pakistan signed a mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia last year, under which both countries agreed to consider aggression against either side as an attack on both.
Why is Pakistan concerned about the escalation?
Pakistan has sought to maintain diplomatic engagement with both Saudi Arabia and Iran while attempting to mediate between Tehran and Washington during the ongoing regional conflict.
Pakistani officials said Islamabad was concerned that further Houthi attacks could expand the conflict and threaten shipping routes in the Red Sea, a key trade corridor for Pakistan and other countries.
Two Pakistani officials said Pakistani troops are deployed near the Saudi border with Yemen, increasing the country’s exposure to any escalation.
Analysts said Pakistan has attempted to balance its relations with Gulf Arab states and Iran due to its security, economic, and energy interests.
Pakistan relies heavily on Middle Eastern countries for oil and gas supplies. Recent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz disrupted energy routes, prompting Islamabad to introduce emergency measures to prevent fuel shortages.
Officials said Pakistan’s efforts to mediate between the United States and Iran are also linked to restoring regional stability and reopening supply routes.
Despite rising tensions, Pakistani officials said Islamabad remains committed to diplomatic engagement.
“There is frustration, but that does not mean that we are abandoning this project,” one official said, referring to Pakistan’s mediation efforts.
However, officials warned that Islamabad’s position could change if Houthi attacks expand further into Saudi territory.
“If Saudi calls us in, we will stand by them and there is no doubt about that,” another Pakistani source said.