Intro: Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Wednesday described the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as a framework for defence aimed at improving prospects for peace and regional stability, and ending the prospects of war in the region. Speaking at his last weekly press briefing before departing for Geneva as Pakistan’s ambassador, Andrabi said the three countries had, during their first meeting in Istanbul, reaffirmed their resolve to work together for regional peace, stability and de-escalation, including through restraint and the peaceful resolution of crises. “We agreed to further institutionalize cooperation under the Makkah Agreement, strengthening solidarity, collective deterrence and defence, and cooperative security for a just, inclusive, and lasting peace,” the spokesperson said. Read more: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye to hold first defence pact meeting in Istanbul on Monday Calling the agreement a framework for defence, he said it served the interests of the three countries as well as those of the region and beyond. “The agreement is tailored towards maintaining and improving the prospects for peace, prosperity, regional stability, and basically ending the prospects of war in the region,” he said. Andrabi said Pakistan would continue to fulfil its obligations and responsibilities under the agreement in that spirit. “The agreement is in our interest, and in the collective interest of the region and beyond,” he added. 🔴LIVE: Spokesperson's Weekly Press Briefing 02-09-2026 at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad https://t.co/KYEjSC3PXe — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 2, 2026 Responding to a question about the possibility of other countries joining the agreement, the spokesperson said he was not aware of any applications or new names. He said whenever a country wished to join the agreement with a commitment to collective obligations and common security interests, its case would be examined in close consultation with Pakistan’s partners in Riyadh and Ankara. He said Pakistan remained hopeful and committed to pursuing dialogue and diplomacy to help resolve the standoff between Iran and the United States. Andrabi said, “Despite recent escalations, we remain hopeful, and we will continue to strive for dialogue and diplomacy.” He said Pakistan remained engaged alongside its brotherly countries in efforts to resolve the crisis, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, where the two sides discussed the evolving regional situation. “The prime minister reiterated Pakistan's sincere commitment to peace through restrained dialogue and diplomacy,” Andrabi said. Asked whether the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran through Pakistan’s mediation was now dead, Andrabi said, “There’s no question of it being alive or dead or half-dead. This template for peace is there.” “Whenever parties agree to resume dialogue, this template of peace, or any similar framework copying this template, will be adopted,” he said. “We remain positive that the parties will eventually return to the dialogue table.” Andrabi said the situation in the Gulf and the Middle East had also been discussed in Istanbul during interactions between our leadership and their counterparts on the sidelines of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement meeting. He said the visit of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir to Iran last week formed part of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to facilitate an end to the US-Iran conflict. The discussions particularly focused on renewed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, regional de-escalation, breaking the military stalemate and exploring a negotiated settlement to restore regional peace and stability, Andrabi said. Read: CDF Munir to visit Tehran on Monday: Iranian foreign ministry “The visit underscored Islamabad's sincere and constructive role in bridging differences between Washington and Tehran,” he said. The spokesperson said the CDF visit to Tehran had generated momentum, as demonstrated by follow-up and subsequent visits by the leadership of Oman and Qatar. On the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Andrabi said the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague had on September 1 reaffirmed that the treaty remained fully in force and binding, rejecting India’s unilateral attempt to place it in abeyance. He said the unanimous award constituted “an important reaffirmation of the sanctity of the IWT and the rule of international law”. The court confirmed that India’s purported decision to place the treaty in abeyance did not relieve it of its obligations under the treaty and that the treaty’s dispute settlement mechanism remained operative, he said. Andrabi said the interim measure concerning the Ratna Hydroelectric Power project further affirmed that rights and obligations under the treaty could not be altered or displaced through unilateral action. “Pakistan welcomes these clear and authoritative pronouncements,” he said, adding that they validated Islamabad’s consistent position that differences concerning the IWT must be addressed strictly within the framework of the treaty and in accordance with international law. Turning to Pakistan’s chairmanship of the SCO, Andrabi said Pakistan had assumed the organisation’s chairmanship and would host the SCO Summit in Pakistan next year under the theme “Turning Vision into Action, Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity”. Pakistan would work closely with SCO member states to advance the organisation’s objectives of promoting regional peace and stability, strengthening economic cooperation and connectivity, and fostering shared development and prosperity, he said. Also read: Arbitration court orders India to suspend work on hydro projects, uphold IWT with Pakistan At the end of the briefing, Andrabi thanked journalists for their understanding and support during his tenure as spokesperson, saying he cherished the association and believed that “we have built long-lasting friendships through our interaction”.