Pakistan, Iran, and the Gulf — a New Islamic Military Alliance Taking Shape?
A Pakistani flag flies over government troops installed on top of a defense position on a former base of Taliban militants overlooking the Swat Valley, at Banai Baba Ziarat area, northwest of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 22, 2009
During his visit to Islamabad, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged the Islamic world to “form a united front against their enemies.» This call builds on previous proposals by Pakistan to establish a “NATO-style alliance” for Muslim-majority states:September 2025 — after Israeli strikes on Qatar, Pakistan proposed an «Arab-Islamic Task Force» at an emergency OIC summit in Doha17 September 2025 — Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence pact: an attack on one is an attack on both, mirroring NATO’s Article 5.Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called the pact a first step toward a «NATO-style
alliance» that could in the future include all 57 Islamic nationsApril 2026 — Pakistan deployed troops and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia amid the US-Iran warTurkiye and Qatar are also in talks about joining the Saudi-Pakistani defense pact, according to Pakistani officialsTurkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkiye is in talks with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on a defense alliance, but no deal yet
