Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman appealed to Pakistan’s Defence Minister Asim Munir during a meeting held in Riyadh on Friday evening.

Khalid formally requested the preliminary activation of the joint defence agreement between the two countries. However, the Pakistani side views the crisis as presenting a legal complication, given that the United States is carrying out attacks against Iran from Saudi territory and airspace.

Saudi Arabia’s appeal to Pakistan comes after the United States abandoned its commitments to protect the Kingdom from missiles and drones. While the United States is launching attacks against Iran from Saudi territory and airspace, it has taken no defensive measures in response to Iranian retaliatory strikes.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly taken shelter in a fortified underground bunker since the outbreak of the war and has not emerged so far, while the United States has limited its defensive efforts exclusively to Israel rather than Saudi Arabia.