ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Egypt have called for closer consultations through a four-nation regional forum that also includes Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, according to the foreign office in Islamabad on Wednesday, as renewed US-Iran fighting and Houthi attacks on Saudi cities raise fears of a wider Middle East escalation.

The Regional Four, or R4, emerged in March following the outbreak of the Iran war as a forum for the four major Muslim countries to coordinate on the conflict and wider regional security, and has since held several ministerial meetings focused largely on de-escalation and diplomatic efforts.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty late on Tuesday, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.

“The two Ministers reviewed bilateral relations and reaffirmed the close and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Egypt,” the statement said.

“They discussed regional developments and the need for close consultations on regional matters, including through the Regional Four (R4) Foreign Ministers, with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.”

The call came amid a fresh escalation in the seven-month Iran war, with Tehran and Washington again trading attacks in recent days and tensions spilling further across the Gulf.

Iran said it launched ballistic missiles at a US military base in Jordan and targeted ships near the Strait of Hormuz after US forces struck Iranian oil tankers, while Iran-backed Houthi forces on Tuesday launched drones and missiles at Saudi cities and energy facilities, injuring 73 people.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye are also members of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement signed last month, under which an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday the pact would become operational in the event of aggression against Saudi Arabia, saying Islamabad was bound by its terms and would honor its commitments if required.

The R4 grouping emerged as regional countries sought to contain the US-Iran war and its spillover into Gulf states.

Its foreign ministers’ meeting in Cairo in June welcomed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a framework brokered by Pakistan to help the US and Iran resolve differences and reach a settlement to the conflict, describing the accord as a step toward de-escalation and regional stability.

Pakistan has continued efforts to revive the agreement despite renewed hostilities, with officials saying indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran remain open.

Dar and Abdelatty also agreed to meet on the sidelines of the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly session in New York, according to Wednesday’s statement.