Iran is reviewing an invitation to join the Mecca defense agreement, according to Mehdi Rahimi, head of Iran’s parliamentary news agency Khaneh Mellat. Lebanon-based broadcaster Al Mayadeen reported his remarks on August 24, 2026. The reported invitation concerns a new security alliance involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.

Rahimi said Iran had received the invitation and that the matter remained under review. He said countries in the region were moving toward creating a regional security umbrella, describing this as a victory for Iran because it had long called for such an arrangement.

The report, citing a senior Iranian official, said Iran had been invited to join the new security alliance. However, neither Iran’s Foreign Ministry nor any of the three agreement parties had officially confirmed the invitation. The Mecca agreement was signed on August 7 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.