Amidst the constantly changing situation in the Middle East, Pakistan’s Army Chief and the country’s de facto leader Asim Munir has met Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman. The meeting came days after the attack on Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil refinery and the killing of Iran’s Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israel strikes, prompting Tehran to launch strong military countermeasures across the Middle East and raising fears of a wider regional conflict.Saudi Defense Minister shares details of meeting at X highlighting Iranian attacks on the Kingdom. Sharing a photo with Munir, he wrote, “Met with Pakistan Army Chief and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir. We discussed Iranian attacks on the state and the measures necessary to stop them within the framework of our joint strategic defense agreement. We emphasized that such actions undermine regional security and stability and expressed hope that the Iranian side will act wisely and avoid miscalculations.”This meeting can be considered strategically important. A few months ago, according to a Bloomberg report, Turkey had sought a defense alliance with nuclear-armed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the triangular form of an “Islamic NATO”, which aims to reshape the security alignment in the now-restive Middle East and beyond.A few days ago, when there were Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Aramco refinery, Pakistan had reacted strongly, expressing solidarity with Riyadh as well as other Gulf countries.As tensions rise, with Iran continuing its missile and drone attacks, questions are being raised whether Islamabad’s response will go beyond verbal condemnation, given the 2025 strategic mutual defense agreement with Riyadh.The treaty signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September reportedly states that “any aggression” against one member will be treated as an attack on all, a provision similar to NATO’s Article 5, under which member states commit to collective defence.People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg on condition of anonymity that negotiations over Turkey’s possible entry into the arrangement are at an advanced stage, and an agreement appears likely. According to the report, the proposed expansion reflects the growing overlap in strategic interests of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in South Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa.