Iran war live: Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Saudi seek to de-escalate

Iran war: Muslim nations launch crisis talks after Israeli strikes

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

Islamabad activated emergency diplomacy after Israeli missiles hit targets inside Iran, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Tuesday.

Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia opened back-channel contacts within hours to prevent a full-scale regional war. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Cairo’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel boarded a military flight to Tehran.

The flurry reflects panic across Muslim capitals that America’s closest ally has crossed a red line. Israel’s weekend strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities followed Tehran’s massive missile barrage against Israeli cities. Both sides claimed they were responding to the other. The cycle threatens to drag a region already on fire into uncontrollable escalation.

Israeli jets struck at least 6 sites across Iran starting late Saturday, Iranian state media reported. The attacks killed 17 Revolutionary Guards and wounded 31, according to Iran’s defense ministry. Satellite images showed craters at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant and a military base near Isfahan. Israel’s military censor barred domestic outlets from reporting details, but officials briefed US counterparts that the operation used 100 aircraft and lasted 90 minutes.

Pakistan’s foreign office summoned Iran’s ambassador Monday night. “We conveyed deep concern over further escalation,” spokesman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters. Islamabad shares a 959-kilometer border with Iran and hosts 2.4 million Afghan refugees. Any regional war would send fresh displacement waves toward its fragile economy.

Erdogan’s office said he proposed a four-point plan. It includes immediate ceasefire, mutual restraint, establishment of a hotline between Tehran and Tel Aviv, and Turkish mediation. The proposal mirrors Ankara’s previous attempts to position itself as bridge between adversaries. Erdogan previously hosted indirect talks between Israel and Hamas before the Gaza war erupted.

Riyadh’s approach remains more cautious. Saudi officials fear Iranian retaliation could target their oil infrastructure again, mirroring the 2019 Abqaiq attack that knocked out half the kingdom’s production. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman held emergency talks with Aramco executives Sunday. The state oil giant raised its security alert level to maximum, sources told GlobalBeat.

Egypt faces different calculations. Cairo relies on Israeli intelligence to combat ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula. But public opinion turned sharply anti-Israel after 16 months of Gaza war. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi cannot appear complicit if Israel expands strikes beyond Iran. His intelligence chief carries a message urging Iranian restraint while promising Egypt won’t join any US-led coalition.

Tehran’s response so far remains measured. The foreign ministry summoned Swiss diplomats, who represent US interests, to protest American support for Israeli strikes. But Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami told a closed parliamentary session that Iran would “choose the timing and manner” of retaliation, according to lawmakers present. The comment suggests Tehran might absorb the hit to avoid aiding Donald Trump’s re-election campaign.

Washington’s role complicates mediation efforts. Trump told reporters Sunday that Israel “has every right to defend itself” and warned Iran against retaliation. But privately, US officials urged restraint, fearing higher oil prices weeks before November’s election. The Pentagon moved a second aircraft carrier to the region while simultaneously pressing allies to urge de-escalation.

Background

Israel and Iran have fought a shadow war for decades through proxies and covert operations. The conflict turned overt in April 2024 when Israel bombed Iran’s consulate in Damascus, killing 16 people including senior Revolutionary Guards commanders. Iran responded with its first-ever direct missile attack on Israeli territory, firing 300 projectiles. Israel’s weekend strikes mark the second time it has hit Iran directly, following limited April reprisals.

Muslim nations traditionally avoid inserting themselves in the Israeli-Iranian confrontation. But the Gaza war shattered regional calculations. The conflict killed over 42,000 Palestinians and radicalized populations across the Arab world. Sunni Muslim powers like Saudi Arabia and Egypt now balance strategic partnerships with Israel against explosive domestic anger. Any perception they enable Israeli expansion of the war risks destabilizing their own rule.

What’s Next

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council meets Wednesday to formulate response options. Regional diplomats expect Tehran to approve calibrated retaliation, possibly through Hezbollah or Iraqi militias, rather than another direct missile barrage. Turkish officials said Erdogan will travel to Riyadh Thursday to coordinate mediation efforts with Saudi Arabia. The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency session Friday, though Russia and China are expected to block any meaningful action.

The success of Muslim diplomacy hinges on whether Tehran believes it can absorb Israeli strikes without losing face. Previous escalation cycles suggest both sides prefer proxy warfare over direct confrontation. But domestic pressure mounts on Iran’s leadership to respond forcefully after Israeli jets struck the Islamic Republic’s most sensitive nuclear sites. The coming days will determine whether four Muslim powers can forge a diplomatic off-ramp, or whether the region slides into a war none of them wants.