Pakistan's Army Chief Secretly Shields Saudi Arabia from Iranian Missile Strikes

Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir reportedly brokered a secret deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran to halt Iranian missile strikes against the Gulf state, according to a report by The Times of Israel.

The arrangement was established in late March, coinciding with the initial phase of the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Saudi Arabia had been subjected to recurrent Iranian missile strikes, but these ceased once the deal was concluded.

Munir allegedly used a joint oil transport operation with Ahmad Vahidi, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as leverage throughout the talks. The commercial entity has reportedly been moving Iranian oil into Pakistan since late last year, operating despite international sanctions and restrictions on Iranian energy exports.

One regional intelligence official stated that Islamabad aimed to bolster its strategic alliance with Riyadh by acting as a pivotal broker during the regional crisis, thereby increasing Saudi reliance on Pakistan. However, a Middle East diplomat criticized the reported pact, arguing it legitimized ransom payments by enabling Tehran to extract concessions from regional states seeking to shield themselves from becoming targets in the wider conflict.