Pakistan army chief leveraged private oil venture with IRGC head to shield Saudi Arabia

Pakistani military chief Asim Munir reportedly leveraged a private oil transport venture with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps head Ahmad Vahidi to mediate a late March agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This deal, struck during the early weeks of the US-Israeli war against Iran, saw Tehran agree to halt attacks against the Gulf kingdom. Saudi Arabia, which had experienced repeated Iranian fire, largely remained unscathed after the agreement. Munir's motivation was to strengthen Pakistan's ties with Saudi Arabia, making Riyadh more reliant on Islamabad. Following a recent missile attack on Saudi Arabia, Munir warned Vahidi, leading to a cessation of further attacks. One diplomat criticized the agreement, stating it "legitimized ransom payments" demanded by Iran.