Turkiye, Pakistan, Egypt affirm Saudi Arabia's right to self-defence amid Houthi attacks

The Houthis have been attacking the Kingdom with missiles and drones and various attacks launched by the group this month wounded more than 80 people in Saudi Arabia and disrupted operations of a major oil pipeline.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the four foreign ministers exchanged views on recent regional and international developments and reaffirmed the importance of continued consultation in support of peace and stability in the Middle East and the broader region.

“The Ministers also strongly condemned all attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the recent Houthi attacks, and reaffirmed their unwavering support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the Kingdom,” read a joint statement shared by the Pakistani foreign ministry.

“They further affirmed the Kingdom’s inherent right to defend itself, its territory, and its people, in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.”The Houthis have advanced in recent weeks along Yemen’s Red Sea coast around the strategic Bab Al-Mandab Strait, raising fears about commercial shipping and energy supplies already strained by disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz due to the United States-Iran war.

The foreign ministers stressed the importance of “safeguarding the safety and freedom of maritime navigation” in the region,. They underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only path toward sustainable resolution and in this context, they called for upholding the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran.

Pakistan helped brokered the MoU in June, which sought to halt military operations and create a pathway toward a broader settlement, including negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions and regional security. But both sides resumed attacks on each other shortly afterwards and have been locked in a stalemate.

The foreign ministers also reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause to peace, security and stability in the Middle East.

“The Ministers reiterated their support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their inalienable right to self-determination and to establish an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous State of Palestine on the basis of the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the joint statement said.