NEW EASTERN OUTLOOK 🌐 (@NEO_Journal)

🇵🇰🇮🇷Asim Munir in Tehran: Can Iran Join the Mecca Pact? ➿➿➿➿➿➿➿➿➿➿ On August 24, 2026, Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir paid a high-level visit to Iran amidst ongoing regional tensions and a complete halt of trade through the Strait of Hormuz. This visit came at a time when President Trump announced 'Economic D-Day' against Iran—launching his economic pressure campaign. ✏️Taut Bataut is a researcher and writer who publishes on South Asian geopolitics. ➡️Munir's visit was about reviving the stalled Pakistan-brokered US–Iran dialogue. U.S. President Trump spoke with Pakistan's army chief ahead of his trip to Tehran, with a request to use Pakistan's influence to bring Iran back to negotiations. Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said "significant progress" had been made. Any further escalation would directly affect Pakistan's security—the Hormuz crisis has already affected Pakistan with oil prices hitting their height. The US considering the nuclear option would break hell in the region directly adjacent to Pakistan, whose eastern and western borders are already volatile. It needs to make Riyadh understand that involving Tehran in any capacity would not undermine the spirit of the pact, while making sure that Tehran does not see the Mecca Pact as an anti-Iranian alliance. ➡️The question of Iran joining the Mecca Pact emerged when Mehdi Rahimi reported Iran had received an invitation—though not confirmed by Iran's Foreign Ministry. President Trump's support of the Mecca Defense Pact provided impetus to this opinion. However, soon after Munir's visit, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said, "Iran has not received any official invitation to join the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement." This visit was a clear signal of the US's continuous defeat against Iran—in spite of Trump's economic pressure, Iran has not bowed down. Iranians have been facing Western sanctions since 1979—further pressure could put a burden on the US and global economy with Iran further restricting trade through Hormuz. 🟦Trump's economic sanctions are basically his traditional pressure campaign strategy to grab his rival at the negotiation table. To clearly hide this defeat and use Pakistan as leverage, a full story of Iran joining the Mecca pact was formulated—the Jerusalem Post was amongst the first to propagate it. Immediate entry of Iran into the Mecca Pact is unlikely, but Munir's visit has created a diplomatic opening. Islamabad needs to make Riyadh understand that involving Tehran would not undermine the pact's spirit, while ensuring Tehran does not see the pact as an anti-Iranian alliance. Success would mean the Mecca Pact transforms from military in nature to an instrument of stability. Failure would mean yet another divide in the Middle East. READ MORE #Pakistan #Iran #MeccaPact #AsimMunir #USIran #Geopolitics ✅@NewEasternOutlook