Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said on Wednesday that Iran, Türkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Indonesia had a responsibility, as major Muslim countries, to advance unity across the Islamic world.

During a meeting in Tehran with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Rezaei described Pakistan’s government, armed forces and people as among the Islamic world’s greatest assets. He also welcomed what he described as the growing role of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in regional developments, according to Mehr News Agency.

Rezaei said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attached special importance to relations with Pakistan and believed bilateral trade between the two countries should increase severalfold.

He described Iran-Pakistan ties as rooted in genuine affection and shared beliefs, saying leaders of both countries have long regarded the other as strategic depth.

Read: Pakistan ready to assist Saudi-led maritime coalition to ensure shipping security: FO

According to the official IRNA news agency, Naqvi thanked Pezeshkian, as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, for their efforts to strengthen bilateral relations.

Naqvi also praised what he described as exceptional solidarity between Iranian and Pakistani people, saying the close bond between the two nations should translate into deeper cooperation and more tangible results.

He said the two countries needed greater engagement and sustained efforts to achieve shared objectives, expressing confidence that the determination of their leaders and officials would help realise those goals.

Naqvi arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for an official visit. He has held talks with Momeni and Araghchi on bilateral ties and regional developments.

Also Read: Makkah agreement vision extends beyond Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan: Erdogan

Earlier this week on Monday, Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, at a weekly news conference, portrayed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia on August 7 “less as an anti-Iranian move” than as evidence of a broader reassessment by regional countries of their security relationships with Washington.

The minister said, “Countries have reached the conclusion that they cannot rely on America’s claim of providing security,” adding that Tehran interpreted the new arrangement within the wider transformation of the regional security order rather than treating it as a hostile military alignment.

On August 7, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, reaffirming their commitment to collective security, defence cooperation and regional stability, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry outlined that the agreement established a framework for collective deterrence against acts of aggression and stipulated that an attack against any one of the three signatory states will be regarded as an attack against all three.