Flurry of Diplomacy in Iran Amid Reports of U.S. and Israeli Plans to Renew War

Senior representatives from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met with Iranian officials in the capital, Tehran, on Monday, amid widespread concern that the United States and Israel could soon launch fresh attacks on Iran. Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy secretary of Iran’s powerful Supreme National Security Council, said the meetings were aimed at promoting regional security, according to an Iranian state news channel, Press TV. The visit is the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts by regional mediators to stave off further turmoil in the Middle East. American and Israeli officials are said to be drawing up plans to potentially attack Iran after the U.S. midterm elections next week, according to U.S. officials and others briefed on the deliberations. Saudi Arabia’s conflict with the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen has also escalated rapidly in recent weeks as the two sides have exchanged deadly attacks, including on airports and oil sites around the kingdom. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan formed a new collective defense agreement, known as the Mecca Pact, this year. Monday’s talks are their first joint high-level meeting with Iran since the Saudi-Houthi conflict flared up. The Saudi defense minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, is representing the kingdom in the talks, according to a statement from Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry. The prince is joined in Tehran by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, Iranian state media said, as well as Ibrahim Kalin, head of the Turkish national intelligence agency. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in . Want all of The Times? Subscribe .