Pakistan

Pakistan’s rise as a regional mediator could reshape Middle East diplomacy - analysis

Pakistan is expanding its Middle East influence, deepening ties with Syria, preparing talks with Iran, and positioning itself as a potential mediator between Tehran and Washington.

Pakistani flags flutter near the Parliament House, as delegations from the United States and Iran are expected to hold peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026.
TURKISH NAVY FORCES aboard the TCG Gaziantep (F-490), a guided-missile frigate, ahead of launch of drilling vessel ‘Cagri Bey,’ set to conduct Turkey’s first deep-sea drilling operation in the Indian Ocean near the Mogadishu seaport, in Somalia, April 10.

Voices from the Arab Press: The Mecca agreement changes the equation

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan invited Iran to join newly-established Mecca defense pact - report

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meets with chief of Defense Forces of Pakistan, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in Tehran, in May.

Pakistan army chief to visit Tehran in continuation of mediation role between US, Iran


Implications for Israel, India: Is the Mecca pact a dangerous piece of theatre? - opinion

Israel and India's strongest response to a new security bloc may not be another bloc. It is the ability to stand independently and to have capable partners standing with you.

TURKISH PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, next to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, on August 7, 2026.

Syrian FM says Damascus mulling Mecca Joint Defense pact, but rejects strengthening Iran ties

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani visited Islamabad for the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Pakistan since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani speaks during a joint press conference with Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (not pictured) in Beirut, Lebanon, July 2, 2026.

International contention continues as eight more countries condemn Israel's E1 settlement plan

A spokesperson for the US State Department spoke to N12 News later on Friday, saying that the US government "does not support annexation."

View of the unrecognized Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, near Ma'ale Adumim, in the West Bank, on May 19, 2026.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan returned to prison after court ordered hospital visit

His lawyers say his health has deteriorated in prison and that he lost significant vision in his right eye. The government has said medical reports disclosed nothing requiring immediate treatment.

 Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023.

Iran’s Baloch uprising: A rising lever or a strategic illusion? - opinion

The core issue therefore centers not on the raw strength of the Baloch movement alone but on whether it holds attributes that make it a strategic asset major powers can viably invest in.

Family members mourn the death of a relative killed in an attack by Baloch separatists, at a hospital in Quetta on January 31, 2026.

Israel faces emerging regional alignment as Syria turns to Pakistan after strikes - analysis

Talk of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords appears to underestimate how much Riyadh and other countries have become concerned about Israeli strikes in places like Syria.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani meets with European Commission Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (not pictured), in Brussels, Belgium, May 11, 2026

Imran Khan transferred from prison to hospital as court raises serious health concerns

The court also directed the formation of a medical board to assess his health and ordered that he be kept under tight security at the hospital.

 Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pauses as he speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023.

India arrests over 200 terror operatives linked to Pakistan ahead of Independence Day

Agencies have reportedly recovered pistols, live cartridges, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings and crude bombs.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort during the celebrations to mark country's Independence Day in New Delhi on August 15, 2026.

US-Iran talks hit new impasse as MoU's 60-day deadline expires with no deal

On Monday afternoon, Saudi news channel Al Arabiya reported that the US and Iran have agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire.

A person holds a placard representing a US flag, with an image of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on a billboard in the background, on the day of a ceremony marking 40 days since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, in Tehran, Iran, April 9, 2026.

Mecca pact unites Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan - but what does it mean? - opinion

The significance of the Mecca pact will depend less on the language of the agreement than on its implementation.

TURKISH PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, next to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, on August 7, 2026.