Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Al Jazeera that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is “a positive step forward for the unification of Muslims.”
Asked whether the alliance was directed against Iran, Pezeshkian said the step could be a move toward Muslims sitting side by side and achieving Islamic unity rather than fighting.
In the same interview, he said he did not trust the United States in negotiations, called the closure of the Strait of Hormuz “a natural reaction,” denied ties to the Houthis and urged dialogue to resolve the conflict in Yemen. The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was signed on August 7.