Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir reportedly used business ties with a senior Iranian military commander to broker a behind-the-scenes understanding between Iran and Saudi Arabia that led Tehran to stop attacks on the Gulf kingdom, reported The Times of Israel, citing three unnamed officials familiar with the matter.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
The report said the understanding was reached in late March, during the early stages of the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran. It cited a Middle East diplomat, a regional intelligence official and another person familiar with the discussions, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to the report, Saudi Arabia had faced repeated Iranian missile attacks during the initial phase of the conflict. However, the attacks reportedly stopped after the agreement was finalised.
The report alleged that Munir relied on a joint oil transportation venture with Ahmad Vahidi, chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as leverage during the negotiations. The business is said to have been transporting Iranian oil to Pakistan since late last year despite international pressure and restrictions on Iranian exports.
The report further claimed that the venture generated significant financial benefits for both sides, particularly as Iran continued to face a US blockade affecting its ports and oil trade.
According to one of the officials quoted by The Times of Israel, Munir warned Vahidi that continued attacks on Saudi Arabia could jeopardise the future of the oil venture. The report claimed that Iran did not launch any further missile strikes against Saudi Arabia after that message.
One intelligence official cited in the report said Pakistan was seeking to strengthen its strategic ties with Saudi Arabia by positioning itself as a key intermediary during the regional conflict and making Riyadh more dependent on Islamabad.
However, one Middle East diplomat criticised the reported arrangement, arguing that it effectively rewarded Iran's military pressure on neighbouring countries.
The diplomat told The Times of Israel that the understanding "legitimized ransom payments" by allowing Iran to secure concessions from countries seeking to avoid becoming targets in the conflict.
The claims have not been independently verified, and there has been no official public response from Pakistan, Iran or Saudi Arabia regarding the reported agreement.
