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New Delhi: Experts are calling the new Mecca Defense Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as ‘Sunni NATO’. Under this agreement, an attack on any one country will be considered an attack on all three. But meanwhile Pakistan is trying to mediate between Iran and America. In such a situation, the question is arising that how will Shia-dominated Iran trust Pakistan, which is part of the Sunni alliance?

What is ‘Sunni NATO’ agreement?

Recently Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed a collective defense agreement in Mecca. Both Saudi and Türkiye are Sunni majority countries and Pakistan is also an important partner in this. After this pact, the fear of polarization in the area has increased.

On the other hand, Iran-backed Houthi rebels are continuously attacking Saudi targets. Iran has also been threatening to target Saudi facilities in response to US attacks. Amidst this tension, Pakistan again wants to play the role of middleman.

Again became a middleman between Iran and America

Even before this, Pakistan had tried to reduce Iran-America tension. The agreement was also signed in Islamabad, but it failed within a few weeks. Now once again Pakistan has entered the field.

In this connection, Pakistan Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi has reached Tehran. Naqvi is the only Shia minister in the Shahbaz Sharif cabinet. In Tehran he met Iranian President Pezeshkian and discussed relations between the two countries. “strong and unbreakable” told.

Pakistan’s difficult situation

It is not easy for Pakistan to strike this balance. On one side it shares a 900 km long border with Iran. Pakistan also has the world’s second largest Shia population. Therefore Islamabad does not want enmity with Iran at any cost. On the other hand, it also has a new defense alliance with Saudi and Türkiye. For this reason, it is natural for Iran to raise questions about Pakistan’s intentions.

Islamabad claims: ‘Honest effort’

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that Pakistan will work with the help of regional countries to resolve the US-Iran dispute. “try honestly” doing. He said that Pakistan will take forward the talks through direct and indirect means.

The Iranian President also said in response that Iran-Pakistan relations are necessary for the interests of both countries as well as regional stability. Now it has to be seen whether Pakistan, despite being a member of ‘Sunni NATO’, can win the trust of Shia Iran or not. Because without Tehran’s trust, any attempt at mediation between America and Iran will remain incomplete.