Iran should join Saudi-Pakistan defense pact, (Supreme) Leader's adviser says as Israeli threats intensify - Tehran Times

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/518450/Iran-should-join-Saudi-Paki...

TEHRAN – A top military adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution has welcomed the newly signed defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, describing it as a positive step for regional security while underlining Iran’s own military readiness and commitment to deterrence.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said in a televised interview on Saturday that the “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” signed in Riyadh between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should be regarded as constructive.

“We assess this treaty as positive. Pakistan has announced that other countries can join, and I recommend that Iran also participate,” Safavi said. “Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Iraq could move toward a collective pact. Even though Saudi Arabia and Pakistan would not finalize such an agreement without U.S. approval, we should declare readiness as a regional power. This falls under our military diplomacy and foreign policy to take an active role in regional defense-security treaties.”

The Saudi-Pakistani deal, signed on Saturday, September 17, pledges that any act of aggression against either country will be considered an attack on both, requiring a joint response. The agreement, which the two sides described as “landmark,” aims to enhance mutual deterrence.

The signing came one day before an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha on Sunday, convened after deadly Israeli airstrikes on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital. The strikes occurred amid ongoing Qatari mediation efforts to halt Israel’s war on Gaza.

Since the attacks, several countries, including Iran and Pakistan, have called for the creation of a regional coalition to defend Muslim nations against foreign-backed aggression. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif also said that the assault on Qatar could not have happened without U.S. consent, urging Muslim countries to establish a NATO-style Islamic military alliance.

The strikes occurred despite the presence of a major American military base in Qatar, underscoring regional accusations that Washington allowed the assault to proceed.

Alongside support for regional cooperation, Iranian commanders reiterated their forces’ full preparedness to defend the country against any threat.

Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, praised the achievements of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), particularly its Aerospace Force, during Iran’s recent 12-day defensive campaign against U.S. and Israeli aggression.

“These victories reflect the faith, innovation, and resilience of our commanders and fighters. They demonstrate that the strategy of active deterrence and decisive, crushing response is effective and instructive,” Mousavi said during a Sunday meeting with Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour. He added that Iran is continuing to modernize its defense systems and that coordination between the Army and IRGC ensures both deterrence and the safeguarding of national independence.

Major General Amir Hatami, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, echoed the message, stressing that Iran constantly monitors adversary activities and will respond firmly to any miscalculation. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Army’s 23rd joint cadet training program during Sacred Defense Week, Hatami reminded young officers of the Army’s mission to safeguard independence, territorial integrity, and the Islamic Republic.

“The enemy must know that, with the capacities, capabilities, and lofty ideals of the Iranian nation, we will inevitably emerge victorious. Our armed forces, supported by the people and guided by the wise leadership of the Commander-in-Chief, have always defeated aggression and will continue to do so,” Hatami said.

Pakistan ex Ambassador to US Husain Haqqani says that Trump and his isolationist MAGA base accept Pakistan-Saudi Defense Pact. They believe that anything that relieves the US of the responsibility to defend other countries is a good thing.

https://youtu.be/oncjDJn5hM8?si=7jsX849oOAgduqnX

Will new regional security architectures replace us security guarantees? - Google Search

AI Overview
New regional security architectures are not entirely replacing US security guarantees but are challenging them and creating a more complex global security landscape. Driven by a perception of declining US reliability, countries in key regions are increasingly hedging their bets by diversifying their security partners and arrangements.
Key trends
Diversification beyond US influence
Nations that once depended heavily on the US are actively exploring and creating new security alliances to reduce reliance on Washington.
Middle East: A mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, signed in September 2025, reflects a growing distrust of the US-led security architecture. For Riyadh, this pact complements, rather than replaces, its existing ties with Washington.
Indo-Pacific: Regional players like Japan, Australia, and India are deepening their defense ties, including through expanded joint exercises and intelligence sharing. South Korea is also exploring stronger connections with European powers.
Perception of fading US credibility
Reports indicate that the perceived credibility of US security commitments is eroding across different regions. This trend is fueled by a sense of US retrenchment and inconsistent foreign policy across different administrations.
In Asia, the credibility of the US nuclear umbrella is reportedly seen as eroding, encouraging countries to seek alternative security options.
In the Middle East, past US responses to regional attacks have led to partner frustrations and concerns over the inadequacy of US protection.
Emergence of alternative security frameworks
The emerging regional security architectures are often more fluid, less institutionalized, and feature overlapping and sometimes contradictory arrangements.
Competition: The development of competing security frameworks could lead to a less stable regional order, with nations hedging their bets in an uncertain environment.
Alternative models: New configurations could include bilateral accords, regional compacts, or new nuclear-sharing arrangements.
US response and implications
The rise of these architectures forces the US to adapt its strategy in an increasingly multipolar world.
Adjusting strategy: In regions like the Middle East, some argue the US should welcome certain regional defense pacts. This would allow it to focus on other strategic interests by ceding some control over the regional security architecture.
Potential for instability: While a more balanced regional security dynamic offers new opportunities for cooperation, the potential for accelerated nuclear proliferation and instability poses significant risks.
Shifting focus: The US is re-evaluating its global role, particularly its longstanding ambition of primacy. This is a move towards a world defined more by national interest and a balance of power, and less by US-led normative issues like democracy promotion.

Saudi Plans for Video-Game Hub Grow With $55 Billion EA Deal

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/saudi-plans-video-game-hub-184912136...

(Prince) Mohammed (Bin Salman) , who chairs Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has already invested some $30 billion in the industry, according to market researcher Aldora. That includes building up a stake in Nintendo Co. and acquiring the publisher of the hit game .

The kingdom also constructed a sprawling city that’s home to four different gaming arenas as part of that effort.

“Their overarching strategy is to bring jobs to Saudi Arabia — that’s a generational move over the next 20 years,” said Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Securities Inc.

Electronic Arts, whose hits include the football franchise, the shooting series and the soccer game, “checks all those boxes,” Pachter said.

The Electronic Arts deal comes after the prince announced in May that he would boost investment in the US to $1 trillion in the coming years as part of a push to deepen trade ties between the kingdom and the world’s largest economy.

United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting the White House, is “very close” to agreeing on a deal to end the Gaza conflict. Addressing a press conference, Trump said this was a “big, big day”.

“The prime minister and the field marshal of Pakistan … they were with us right from the beginning. In fact, they just put out a statement that they fully believe in this pact,” Trump stated. “They back this 100 per cent.”

The US president also thanked Netanyahu for agreeing to the plan and for “trusting that if we work together, we can bring an end to the death and destruction” in the region.

Read more: https://www.dawn.com/news/1945467/

Pakistan, protests and public opinion: Narendra Modi's terrible year

https://www.ft.com/content/3bbec4d7-9302-4dc8-a7dc-39266526fb91

Stuck on all fronts

The “Gen Z” protest in the Himalayan region of Ladakh is the latest in a string of setbacks that Narendra Modi is facing this year. Last week police shot dead four people, and the subsequent arrest of the popular leader Sonam Wangchuk has further exacerbated the situation. The protesters are seeking statehood for Ladakh, a geopolitically important area near the Chinese border. They also want protections promised by the Modi administration in 2019, when it abrogated the constitutional privileges previously offered to Kashmir and its neighbouring region.

This year has been the worst for Modi in his 11 years as prime minister, with both external and internal events contributing to a general souring in his popularity. Externally, as has been discussed in this newsletter, Modi’s inability to influence his “friend” Donald Trump in securing a trade deal for India has left several business sectors exposed to the highest tariffs. That Trump has only doubled down and punished India (and not China) for buying Russian oil has made things worse. But perhaps the deepest cut of all is Trump cosying up to Pakistan. On Friday the US president once again hosted Pakistan’s chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in the White House, and this time they were also joined by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Internally, the economy has been wobbly for several quarters. Even though GDP growth numbers look good on paper, there is no hiding the consumption and credit crisis that the middle class is experiencing. In the past couple of months, bereft of a deal, Modi has been trying to talk up local consumption. On Sunday, he used his radio programme Mann Ki Baat to urge Indians to buy locally manufactured products. It’s too early to tell how significant the lift-off from the week-old reforms in the goods and services tax will be. If the festival season, which we are now bang in the middle of, does not spur consumption, then the outlook for the rest of the year will continue to be bleak. Urban unemployment has been hovering around the 7 per cent mark for months, with no significant improvement. Even the stock market has found little reason to cheer, with the benchmark index down 4 per cent in the past 12 months.

The most marked change, though, is in Modi’s popularity online. While he used to always command ringing support on social media, no matter the issue, that is less visible these days. Yesterday the prime minister posted on social media after the Indian cricket team beat Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, calling it “Operation Sindoor on the games field”. The replies were full of ordinary citizens chiding him for comparing a game to a military operation, which followed a terror attack in which Indian lives were lost.

The immediate impact of this annus horribilis for Modi will be visible in the important state elections in Bihar later this year. The current crises are forcing a rethink on all aspects of the government. How the country emerges from this will determine what its political future will look like.

MUMBAI, Sept 29 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee closed near its all-time low on Monday as lingering foreign portfolio outflows and corporate dollar demand kept up pressure on the South Asian currency.
The rupee settled at 88.76 against the U.S. dollar, its weakest ever closing level and down slightly from its close at 88.7175 on Friday. The currency declined to an all-time low of 88.7975 last week.

After starting the session with a modest uptick, the local currency drifted lower through the session, averting a sharper decline due to dollar sales by multiple state-run banks, which traders said were likely on behalf of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).


https://www.reuters.com/world/india/rupee-anchored-near-record-low-...

Israel may have underestimated Trump’s links with Qatar - The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/03/qatar-trump-securit...

The U.S. relationship with the small Persian Gulf country of Qatar entered new territory this week. By executive order, President Donald Trump on Monday offered Qatar security guarantees — including a commitment to quickly respond to acts of “foreign aggression” — a level of support usually reserved for Washington’s closest allies.

The text of the order is explicit. “The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” it reads. “In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.”


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The executive order falls short of a NATO-style mutual defense agreement. Because it has not been ratified by the Senate, it is not binding. Future presidents will not be required to abide by it. Still, despite its limitations, the order grants Qatar assurances for which its Persian Gulf neighbors have long lobbied.

Over the years, Qatar has served quietly a central role in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. The country has hosted a Hamas political office since 2012, a move local officials say they made at the explicit request of the U.S., so the office so it could be used as a line of communication for negotiations.

Even before Qatar was mediating the Gaza ceasefire, it was a critical bridge between the U.S. and the Taliban during peace talks on Afghanistan and during the evacuation in 2021. Qatar has also helped secure prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. And in 2023, it was Qatar that mediated a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran.

The small country’s outsize role hasn’t always won it plaudits — including among American conservatives. “It is fair to say that Qatar plays both sides,” read an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, arguing that the country is “far from the typical profile of a state receiving U.S. guarantees.”

Pakistan courts US with pitch for new Arabian Sea port ( at Pasni for critical minerals export)

https://www.ft.com/content/9f7c7bf2-76ed-4eb6-bb9a-f628d05b0068

Late last month, Pakistan shipped a modest first consignment of fewer than two tonnes of critical and rare earth minerals to USSM that included copper, antimony and neodymium. The price of antimony has soared since Beijing imposed a ban on selling it to the US late last year.

Advisers to Pakistan’s military strongman Asim Munir have approached US officials with an offer to build and run a port on the Arabian Sea that could give Washington a foothold in one of the world’s most sensitive regions. The audacious plan, seen by the Financial Times, envisages American investors developing the seaside fishing town of Pasni as a terminal for access to Pakistan’s critical minerals. Pasni is just 100 miles from Iran and 70 miles from the Pakistani city of Gwadar, which has a China-backed port. The initiative, which is not official policy, reflects how Pakistani officials are exploring ways to capitalise on the sweeping geopolitical upheaval in South Asia of recent months.

The offer has been floated with some US officials, and was shared with Munir ahead of a meeting with Donald Trump in the White House late last month, according to two civilian advisers to the army chief who both asked not to be named. But a senior Trump administration official said the US president and his advisers had not discussed such a proposal.

The scheme is one of several ideas floated publicly and privately by Pakistani officials to maintain momentum with the Trump administration. They include engagement with a Trump-backed crypto venture, deepening co-operation against Afghanistan-based militant group Isis-K, endorsement of his Gaza peace plan and access to critical minerals.

Munir and Trump have forged what US and Pakistani diplomats are referring to as “a bromance” since the American president claimed credit in May for a ceasefire that ended the worst fighting between Pakistan and India in decades.

After two decades of warming ties with India, the US has over the summer publicly sparred with New Delhi. While India has rejected Trump’s claims of involvement in the ceasefire, Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have publicly thanked him and nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In return, Trump has lavished praise on Pakistan’s army chief. After their latest meeting last month, the White House released pictures of Munir and Sharif presenting the US leader with a display case of mineral samples.

“The whole narrative [of the US-Pakistan] relationship changed after the war,” said one of the advisers, who has been involved in back-channel contacts with the Trump circle for more than a year.

“It was very bad before then. We had not tended the relationship as we should have,” the adviser said. “In the last two decades the Indians occupied the space in the vacuum.”

The proposed port at Pasni would be linked to a new railway to transport minerals from Pakistan’s interior, the advisers said, in particular copper and antimony, a vital ingredient in batteries, fire-retardant and missiles.

A blueprint anticipated the port would cost up to $1.2bn with a proposed financing model that would be a mix of Pakistani federal and US-backed development finance. Advocates of the plan see it as a way of hedging the country’s position on the global stage as it seeks to balance a constellation of diplomatic ties with China, the US, Iran and Saudi Arabia, with which Islamabad signed a security pact last month.

“Pasni’s proximity to Iran and Central Asia enhances US options for trade and security . . . Engagement at Pasni would counterbalance Gwadar . . . and expand US influence in the Arabian Sea and Central Asia,” according to the blueprint.

“China’s Gwadar investments under the Belt and Road Initiative raise dual-use concerns,” it added, in an apparent allusion to US concerns Gwadar could serve as a Chinese naval base, a suggestion denied by Islamabad and Beijing.

The Saudi-Pakistani 'strategic mutual defense' pact that no one saw coming - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

By Nour Eid

https://thebulletin.org/2025/10/the-saudi-pakistani-strategic-mutua...

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact in September stipulating that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.” The announcement sparked confusion after Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif suggested that the pact, which cements a long-standing relationship between the two countries, included a nuclear umbrella. Although Asif later retracted his comment, whether Pakistan has extended a nuclear umbrella to Saudi Arabia remains unclear.

The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia pact signals to Washington the kingdom’s discontent over flailing US security guarantees, and its willingness to use strategic ambiguity, as the need to counterbalance Israel and Iran heightens.

Increasing regional security concerns. Many media outlets depicted Israel’s missile strikes in Qatar earlier in September, which targeted Hamas political leaders, as the trigger for the pact. Israel’s blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, one of the major US allies in the region, deeply rattled the Gulf monarchies, traditionally shielded from regional turbulences.

Despite being officially neutral in the war between Iran and Israel, the Gulf countries, and Qatar in particular, found themselves dragged into the conflict when Iran retaliated for US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities by attacking the US Al Udeid Air base near Doha, although with little damage and only after giving Washington early notice. Saudi Arabia’s security was also put at risk, albeit unintentionally, in September as two Houthi ballistic missiles aimed at Israel broke apart mid-flight over Saudi territory.

While Israel’s increasing boldness and growing hegemony in the region certainly worry the Gulf monarchies, it is hard to believe that the Pakistan-Saudi pact was a direct product of the attacks on Qatari territory. An agreement of this magnitude would ordinarily take months, or even years, to negotiate. That said, the timing of the pact sends a message to the unleashed Israeli government. But most of all, it results from a mounting perception that the United States had abandoned the region, a fear that first solidified following Washington’s mild reaction to Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities in 2019.



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As the value of US security guarantees appears to weaken in the eyes of the Gulf monarchies, the Saudi-Pakistani defense pact aims to prove to Washington that Riyadh is willing to diversify its partnerships and reduce its dependence on the United States for its security. This defense agreement is more likely a symbolic reinforcement of a long-standing partnership than a NATO-like agreement, with unconditional war guarantees and obliged military intervention. The pact also arguably sends a strong political message of solidarity between the two Sunni countries, especially to Iran and Israel.

In an evolving multipolar environment, countries are increasingly hedging through a diversification of partnerships. Israel’s growing hegemony and its lack of accountability are accelerating this behavior in the Middle East at large, as demonstrated by the Saudi-Pakistani defense pact and the first joint Egyptian-Turkish naval exercise in a decade. Washington will have to limit Israeli actions and demonstrate its commitment to the Gulf monarchies’ security concerns if it hopes to prevent further alienation and a deepening of ties with Beijing. President Trump took a first step in that direction this week by signing an Executive Order about guaranteeing the defense and security of Qatar, which uses language similar to NATO’s Article 5—a first in the region.

Pakistan to be sold advanced US air-to-air missiles by Raytheon - World - DAWN.COM

https://www.dawn.com/news/1947237

Pakistan will be sold Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) by United States defence group Raytheon following a modification in the firm’s contract that included the country in the list of buyers, it emerged on Tuesday.

The US missiles are equipped on F-16 Falcons flown by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

A September 30 press release on the contracts issued by the US Department of War for the US Air Force said Raytheon was awarded a $41.6 million firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for the enhanced C8 and D3 AMRAAM variants and their production.

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AI Overview
The Silent Hunter: Ultimate Guide to the AMRAAM Missile
Pakistan will be receiving AIM-120D-3 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) from the United States, which are expected to have a range of over 160 kilometers (99 miles), with some reports indicating a potential of up to 200-300 km for various variants. This is a significant upgrade from the AIM-120C5 variant the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) currently operates on its F-16s. The deal aims to enhance Pakistan's air defense capabilities and is part of improved military cooperation between the two nations.

After Two Years of War, Israel Is Stronger—and More Isolated—Than Ever - The Wall Street Journal

https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/after-two-years-of-war-israel...


Israel is emerging from the carnage as the regional hegemon with a string of military victories. But the country’s fight against Palestinian militant group Hamas also has left it increasingly politically isolated and at risk of losing long-term Western support that has been vital to its survival.

The deaths of more than 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local authorities, have revived global calls for Palestinian statehood and put Israel at odds with a solidifying international consensus.

Once recovered from the initial shock of the Hamas breakthrough and murderous spree on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s military has delivered a succession of crippling blows to the entire constellation of its strategic foes.

Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have been decapitated, the Assad regime in Syria has collapsed, and Iran’s military leadership, missile and nuclear programs have been badly damaged.

“Regionally, Israel is under less threat than it was two years ago,” said Shalom Lipner, a fellow at the Atlantic Council who served as an adviser to several Israeli prime ministers. “But internationally, it’s between a rock and a hard place, and the long-term trends are not working in its favor.”

Anger at Israel has spread from the Muslim world to Europe and increasingly the U.S., where large parts of the Democratic Party and a growing part of the MAGA movement have now turned against American assistance to Israel.

While President Trump has remained supportive, Israel’s new isolation has given him unusual leverage—a power that he has already exercised to block plans for annexing the West Bank, to make Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologize for a strike on Qatar, and to make Israel acquiesce to the latest Gaza cease-fire plan.

This alienation of Israel’s erstwhile friends around the world stands to erode, in a potentially lasting way, not only the standing of Netanyahu and his successors but also the long-term viability of Israel’s founding project.

From American university campuses to European high schools, solidarity with the Palestinian cause—and hostility to Zionism—have become the political markers of a new generation.


------------------

Saudi Arabia’s recent security pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan, as well as tighter cooperation between Arab nations and Turkey are all part of that regional response to the Israeli military strength, said retired British Air Marshal Martin Sampson, who heads the Middle East office of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and served as the U.K. government defense adviser to the Middle East.

“You see the development of beginnings of relationships with Iran and of sympathy for Iran over Israel,” he said. “The region never wanted a single dominant power in the region. They always thought it was going to be Iran, and now they’ve got one and it’s Israel. And Israel is a regional dominant power that freely exercises its hard-power capabilities.”

GO Telecommunications Group has announced the creation of GO AI Hub Pakistan, a centre for AI and digital innovation, during a meeting with Pakistan's IT Minister, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, in Riyadh. The hub aims to foster collaboration in digital infrastructure, AI, and human capital development between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Set to launch in October 2025, the hub will promote knowledge exchange, capacity building, and joint digital solutions. The minister praised GO's contributions to AI, cybersecurity, and data-driven technologies, aligning with Pakistan’s "Digital Nation Vision" to become a regional tech leader.

AI Overview
Recent analyses suggest the September 2025 Pakistan-Saudi defense pact significantly involves China, given Beijing's deep military and economic ties with Islamabad and strengthening relations with Riyadh. The deal reflects a multipolar shift in which Saudi Arabia is diversifying its security partnerships beyond the United States.
China's involvement
While China is not a formal party to the pact, its extensive cooperation with Pakistan and evolving relationship with Saudi Arabia bring it into the equation in several key ways:
Military supply chain: China is Pakistan's primary arms supplier, accounting for 81% of its imports from 2020 to 2024. Pakistan's military, which trains Saudi forces, operates sophisticated Chinese equipment, including the J-35 stealth fighter and HQ-19 air defense systems offered in a recent arms deal.
Defense industrial ties: Saudi Arabia has a long-term goal of localizing defense production under its Vision 2030 plan. Since Pakistan has co-produced defense systems with China, Saudi Arabia could invest as a financier or a buyer in joint Pakistan-China defense platforms.
Nuclear energy and proliferation: The pact has intensified concerns that China could enable Saudi nuclear ambitions. Though China denies it, Beijing has a history of assisting Saudi Arabia's missile program and recently signed a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy security.
Economic influence: As a top trading partner and oil customer for both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, China gains increased economic influence from the pact. For instance, Saudi Arabia could purchase Chinese nuclear reactors to free up more oil for export.
Strategic hedging: By formalizing a defense partnership with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia is diversifying its strategic relationships and creating more independence from the U.S.. This aligns with Riyadh's increasingly multi-aligned foreign policy, which includes stronger ties with China.
Implications and future considerations
Shifting regional dynamics: The pact is seen by some as a silent victory for Beijing, expanding its influence in the Middle East. China views these diversified partnerships positively, which could expand its arms sales and influence across the region.
Impact on the U.S.: The agreement highlights Saudi Arabia's growing wariness of U.S. reliability as a security guarantor. Some U.S. analysts have argued that Washington should tolerate this arrangement, as it allows regional actors to hedge against rivals without America having to spend more.
Multipolarity: Overall, the pact is part of a broader trend of multipolarity, in which countries like Saudi Arabia are balancing their traditional alliances with new partnerships. It further cements China as a significant player in the Middle East.

Pakistan, Qatar pledge to translate shared trade, investment goals into ‘tangible outcomes’

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620049/pakistan

The statement comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Qatar’s minister of commerce and industry in Islamabad
Sharif invites Qatari investors to explore new avenues of bilateral collaboration in energy, agriculture, food security, IT and tourism


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic cooperation and translating shared trade and investment goals into “tangible outcomes,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said on Friday.

The statement came after Sharif’s meeting with Qatari Commerce and Industry Minister Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani, who is on a visit to Pakistan to co-chair the 6th session of Pakistan-Qatar Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC).

During the meeting, PM Sharif expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Qatar relations, anchored in shared faith, values and mutual respect, appreciating Doha’s role as an important partner and an influential mediator.

The prime minister underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, emphasizing opportunities in energy, agriculture, food security, information technology, tourism and infrastructure development.

“He highlighted Pakistan’s investor-friendly policies and invited Qatari investors to explore new avenues of collaboration,” Sharif’s office said.

“Both sides agreed to continue close coordination to translate shared understandings into tangible outcomes, including greater facilitation for business-to-business linkages and investment projects.”

The development came a day after Pakistan and Qatar have signed a protocol that commits both nations to realize Doha’s $3 billion investment in Pakistan’s key sectors, the Pakistani economic affairs ministry said.

In 2022, the Qatari emir’s office had said that the Qatar Investment Authority aims to invest $3 billion in Pakistan to support the South Asian nation’s cash-strapped economy, focusing on Pakistan’s transport, civil aviation, education, health, culture, media, communications, information technology and labor sectors.

The agreement was signed between Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, during the JMC meeting, the economic affairs ministry said.

Qatar will enhance cooperation in Pakistan’s public transport system including rail, bus and metro networks and support the adoption of electric vehicles in the country, according to the protocol. Pakistan and Qatar’s aviation authorities will meet early next year to further strengthen cooperation, it added. The protocol also included a memorandum of understanding between Pakistan and Qatar’s education ministries to enhance technical skills development.

Pakistan shares cordial ties with Qatar rooted in economic cooperation, defense, shared values, faith and culture. Qatar hosts a large Pakistani workforce and this month facilitated dialogue that resulted in a ceasefire with Afghanistan after days of skirmishes along their border.

During his meeting with PM Sharif, the Qatari commerce minister reaffirmed Doha’s commitment to further deepen economic engagement with Pakistan, according to the Pakistan PM’s office.

“He noted that the 6th session of the JMC provided an important platform to review existing cooperation and identify new initiatives to advance mutually beneficial partnerships,” Sharif’s office said.

“The prime minister conveyed Pakistan’s deep appreciation for Qatar’s consistent support on regional and global issues and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to strengthen collaboration at regional and multilateral fora.”

Pakistan’s economy on recovery path; remittances up 8.4%, exports rise 6.5%: Finance Ministry - Business & Economy - Aaj English TV

https://english.aaj.tv/news/330441584/pakistans-economy-on-recovery...

Finance Ministry says economic activity remains stable; forex reserves near $20bn despite FDI dip

The ministry reported an 8.4 per cent increase in workers’ remittances during July-September, reaching $9.53 billion, while September remittances rose 11.3 per cent to $3.18 billion.

Exports grew by 6.5 per cent to $7.9 billion, whereas imports rose 8.3 per cent to $15.4 billion during the same period.

The report noted that foreign exchange reserves reached $19.9 billion, including $14.5 billion held by the State Bank and $5.4 billion by commercial banks, while the rupee remained stable at 281 per dollar.

However, the current account deficit widened to $594 million, and foreign direct investment (FDI) declined by 34 per cent to $568.8 million in the first quarter.

Large-scale manufacturing output increased by 4.44 per cent, while the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) index surged 83.6 per cent, crossing the historic 163,304-point mark, with market capitalisation up 62 per cent to Rs18.8 trillion.

The report also highlighted a 33 per cent rise in new company registrations, reaching 11,250 during the quarter, and noted that the IMF staff-level agreement reflected confidence in Pakistan’s economic performance.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan strengthen ties with new economic cooperation deal

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620602/saudi-arabia

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reach agreement during Riyadh meeting
Strategic economic, trade, investment and development projects to be discussed

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have agreed to launch an economic cooperation framework to strengthen trade and investment relations.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif made the agreement during a meeting in Riyadh on Monday.

A joint statement said the framework was based on the two countries’ shared economic interests and depth of their historic partnership.

“As part of the framework, several strategic and high-impact projects will be discussed in the economic, trade, investment and development fields,” it said.

These projects will help strengthen cooperation between the two governments, “enhancing the pivotal role of the private sector and increasing trade exchange between the two countries.”

The agreement will prioritize energy, industry, mining, information technology, tourism, agriculture and food security.

The two countries have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding for an electricity interconnection project.

“This framework represents an extension of both countries’ efforts to strengthen their fraternal relations and reaffirms their shared vision toward building a sustainable partnership across various economic, trade and investment fields,” the statement said.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have enjoyed close relations for decades but have moved to broaden cooperation in recent years.

The crown prince and prime minister signed a landmark defense agreement last month which said aggression against either country represented aggression against both.

Last year, the two countries signed 34 MoUs worth $2.8 billion across multiple sectors.

Oct 31
1,

This thread is From a WikiLeaks cable dated January 24, 2007,

documenting a meeting between Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and now President of the UAE, and R. Nicholas Burns, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at
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·
Oct 31
2, MBZ views on free elections: “Middle East is not California”

"MBZ: if we want to make peace." In "The Middle East," he insisted, "is not
California." In the post 9/11 world "in any Muslim country you will
see the same result." While members of the U.S. Congress and
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Warfare Analysis
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·
Oct 31
3, MBZ views on Quran schools: MBZ calls Quran schools “some Taliban schools”

“Correcting the situation required education, according to MbZ, a process that will take 25 to 50 years of focused effort to turn around deeply-rooted cultural phenomena.

In the western part of
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4, MBZ: Muslims should never have free elections, We should worry about 3 Islamic counties: Egypt 🇪🇬, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 , and Pakistan 🇵🇰.

“MbZ countered that, "free elections in the Middle East" could eventually mean that the U.S. would "have to find
somewhere else to get 17 million barrels (of oil) a day."

In Iraq, MbZ said, elections had produced "a disaster."

As for the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and pressure from jihadists inspired by Iran,

he said he was not worried about the UAE, which could hold out for a
long time: "The Iranians will have a hard time coming here, but we
will lose Arab countries like Lebanon and Palestine.

Thank God for Hosni Mubarak (described as a family friend of the Al Nahyan).

If Egypt has free elections, they will elect the Muslim Brothers."
There were three large Islamic countries to worry about, according to
MbZ: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.”

https://x.com/warfareanalysis/status/1984515658084704702

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Warfare Analysis
@warfareanalysis
6, MBZ calls Muslim scholars “some holy man in Mecca”

“Referring to the UAE situation, MbZ opined that of the 60,000
soldier UAE armed forces and its loyalties, some 50 to 80% would
respond to a call of "some holy man in Mekkah."

He repeatedly alluded to being "stoned" by his own citizens if he pushed some
subjects too openly.

Acknowledging the prodding by the U.S. to hold elections, MbZ said the process would take at least 20 years and that focus should be on the next generation.

"When I travel to Saudi
Arabia, I meet with 80-85 year old Saudi leaders who never learned of
the internet until they were 70. There is a big gap in Saudi
Arabia." MbZ said the UAE is addressing the educational aspect of
the problem by privatizing government schools with the aim of
privatizing 25% in 5 years so that there will eventually be 0%
"talebani Quran schools."”

https://x.com/warfareanalysis/status/1984515669862293546

Will new Pakistani-Saudi pact unlock strategic opportunity for Iran?

https://amwaj.media/en/article/the-saudi-pakistani-defense-pact-unl...

When Pakistan and Saudi Arabia announced a new defense pact in September, it drew ire from key allies of Riyadh, such as Egypt and India. But the Kingdom’s foremost adversary since 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran, explicitly welcomed the development. In his address before the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the mutual defense agreement as the start of a “comprehensive regional security system.”

It is a notable reaction from a country that has, up until recently, been viewed and treated by its Gulf Arab neighbors as the main threat to regional security. The Gulf security posture has long been oriented in opposition to Iran, with the US-brokered Abraham Accords being envisioned in large part as an Arab-Israeli alliance against a shared Iranian threat.

But this time, Tehran understands that the pact between Islamabad and Riyadh, which binds the Pakistanis and the Saudis to come to each other's defense in case of an attack on one, is not aimed at countering the Islamic Republic. Instead, it is an apparent reaction to Israel’s rising belligerence; Gulf Arab capitals have since the unprecedented Israeli bombing of Qatar in September been forced to reckon with the possibility of also coming under attack.

By contrast, the warming of Iranian-Saudi relations since their 2023 agreement to normalize ties make it hard to imagine the Islamic Republic posing a threat to the Kingdom in a fashion similar to the 2019 attack that crippled Saudi Arabia’s oil production. The combined drone and missile strike was claimed by Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, also known as the Houthis, whereas the US blamed Iran.

Iran has also bombed targets in Qatar this year. In June, following the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, Tehran lobbed missiles at the forward headquarters of US Central Command. The strike on Al-Udeid Air Base, although non-lethal, demonstrated Tehran’s readiness to hit American targets in Gulf Arab states. However, Iran is not likely to target US assets in Saudi Arabia in the event of another conflagration—with or without Riyadh’s defense pact with Islamabad.

“Striking Saudi Arabia is a different ball game and they know that, and Saudi officials have made it clear to them [that] it is a no-go,” said Dina Esfandiary, the Middle East Geoeconomics Lead for Bloomberg Economics. “So I do not think the Iranians would risk it anyway.”

What the Pakistani-Saudi defense agreement does do, though, is help wean the Kingdom off of its deep reliance on the US for security. Over time, this dynamic could reduce American leverage. Any movement in that direction makes the Kingdom more likely to withstand US pressure to take hardline stances on matters concerning Iran, potentially giving Tehran greater room to maneuver in the region.

“A more independent Saudi Arabia, and a more independent Gulf Cooperation Council, is something that is easier for Iran to deal with than one that is completely beholden to the US,” said Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Washington-based Quincy Institute. Saudi dependence on the US for security, Parsi said, creates an environment where “Iran cannot improve its relations with its immediate neighbors without improving relations with a country two oceans away.”

Given that the poisonous relationship between Iran and the US shows few signs of changing anytime soon, the persistence of such a dynamic would mean that the Saudis and the Iranians may never truly build relations pillared on deep trust. This may be why the Kingdom has recently been maneuvering to help facilitate dialogue between Tehran and Washington, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi notably insisting that Iran has “total confidence in Saudi Arabia” in that setting.