Washington, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan’s efforts to present itself as a potential mediator in the US-Iran conflict are facing questions over Islamabad’s parallel defence commitments to Gulf Arab states, with Tehran increasingly viewing Pakistan as aligned with US and Saudi security interests, according to a report.
The report, published by US media outlet PJ Media and written by Turkish journalist Uzay Bulut, questioned Islamabad’s ability to act as a credible intermediary while maintaining strategic relationships with opposing sides.
“How efficient can Pakistan be as a mediator between Tehran, Washington, and Islamabad when it is attempting to play all sides while simultaneously losing the trust of all?” Bulut wrote.
Pakistan’s expanding defence arrangements with Gulf countries have added to Tehran’s concerns. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in Mecca on August 7, committing to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression. Under the pact, an armed attack against one signatory is to be treated as an attack against all three.
The agreement came amid heightened regional tensions. Two days later, Iranian-backed Houthis struck an oil facility on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, although the coalition had not responded militarily to the attack, the report said.
Despite Pakistan’s mutual defence arrangement with Saudi Arabia, Bulut noted that Islamabad had refrained from launching military action against Iran over attacks on the kingdom. Pakistan has also rejected suggestions that its nuclear deterrent could be extended to allies, clarifying that nuclear weapons are not covered by the defence pact.
The report said relations between Iran and Pakistan have remained strained for decades, despite continued trade and pragmatic cooperation. Cross-border militant attacks, Pakistan’s defence ties with Saudi Arabia and its involvement in US-led coalitions in Afghanistan and Iraq have repeatedly contributed to tensions.
Both countries have also accused one another of allowing space for cross-border militant activity involving groups such as Jaish ul-Adl and Baloch militant organisations, according to the report.
“Persistent mistrust between Iran and Pakistan causes frequent cross-border security friction, proxy competition, and diplomatic tightropes,” it said.
Pakistan’s economic dependence on Gulf states is another factor complicating its diplomatic position. The report described the country’s economy as “near-bankrupt” and heavily reliant on continued international financial assistance. It also said Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf countries account for more than 85 per cent of Pakistan’s oil requirements and almost all of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) needs.
Against this backdrop, the report argued that Tehran’s perception of Pakistan as being complicit in external aggression could undermine Islamabad’s efforts to establish itself as an impartial mediator in the US-Iran conflict.
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