In a significant recent development, Pakistan has reportedly deployed 8,000 troops to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence pact. This comes amid ongoing Middle East tensions between the United States and Iran, even as a fragile ceasefire remains in place. 

According to a Reuters report, Pakistan has also deployed a squadron of fighter jets and an air defence system to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi-Pakistan defence agreement

According to the report, the exact terms of the mutual defence pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia remain confidential. However, the agreement reportedly binds both nations to come to each other’s defense in the event of an external attack.

US-Iran conflict 

On February 28, Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran’s then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians. 

After this, Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US interests in the Middle East. Tehran has also tightened its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that handles the passage of a significant portion of global energy supplies.

Although a ceasefire was achieved on April 8, followed by lengthy talks between the Iranian and US delegations in Pakistan, it failed to yield an agreement. 

Iran’s push for peace

In a fresh diplomatic push to defuse regional tensions, Tehran has put forward its most recent 14-point resolution draft, conveying the framework via Islamabad.

According to a report by the Tasnim news agency, which cited an informant intimately connected to the delegation involved in the talks, the diplomatic roadmap has been formally transmitted through Pakistan.

Strait of Hormuz tensions 

In another recent development, Iran on Monday announced the launch of a new regulatory body for managing and monitoring operations related to the Strait of Hormuz.

The top security establishment of the Islamic Republic, the Supreme National Security Council, reposted a post on X where it stated that the official X account of the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” (PGSA) is now operational.

The PGSA introduced at the start of this month has been characterised as a new mechanism for governing maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this month, as per ANI, Iranian state media Press TV had reported that Tehran had introduced a new mechanism for governing maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.