Pakistan pledges support to Saudi Arabia ‘no matter what happens’ amid Middle East tensions

Pakistan on Thursday reaffirmed the country’s commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia whenever necessary, while emphasizing that Islamabad is also working to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg TVPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi highlighted the long-standing relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, noting that it has always been based on mutual support and cooperation.

“One thing that needs to be very clear from the top is that the question is not whether Pakistan could come to the aid of Saudi Arabia. I think both countries, even before the Mutual Defense Strategic Agreement, have always acted on the principle of being there for each other before needing the other. There is no doubt that we could do it, we will do it, no matter what and no matter when,” he said.

Tensions in the Middle East rose sharply after US and Israeli airstrikes last week killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, prompting a wave of retaliation from Tehran and widening the conflict across the region. In response to the attacks, Iran launched retaliatory strikes against US military bases in several Gulf countries, significantly expanding the scope of the confrontation.

Pakistan’s leadership has since intensified its diplomatic efforts to play its role in managing tensions, particularly between Iran and the Gulf States.

Zaidi said Pakistan was focused on preventing a broader regional conflict that could further destabilize the Middle East and affect Pakistan’s own interests.

“The real question is what is Pakistan doing to ensure that things do not reach a point where any of its closest partners become even more involved, further engrossed in a conflict that potentially undermines stability and prosperity, not only for the region in general, but especially for the Pakistani people,” he added.

He said Pakistan had been actively engaging regional and global partners in recent days. Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir recently visited Saudi Arabia, while Islamabad has also remained in touch with Iranian leaders and maintained dialogue with the United States.

“I think in the last six or seven days there have been a whole series of conversations. And I have to say that one of the things that I think the Pakistanis really admire is the way that Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states have resisted being dragged in,” he said.

Zaidi noted that some voices in the United States had urged Gulf states to become more actively involved in the conflict, but regional governments had so far avoided deeper involvement.

“We’ve seen all kinds of calls from some people in the United States and elsewhere who want the Saudis and other GCC countries to be more actively involved. But they’ve resisted. And I think, in part, that’s part of what Pakistan wants to do more of,” he said.