Iran says it has not received invitation to join Mecca defence pact

Iran has not received an official invitation to join the Mecca Collective Defence Agreement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said.

Baqaei described reports that Tehran had been invited to join the agreement as part of a “media and propaganda war," Caliber.Az reports via Iranian media. 

He added, however, that Iran had been invited to hold discussions with relevant countries on issues related to collective security in the region.

Earlier, Mehdi Rahimi, head of Iran’s parliamentary news agency, said Iran had allegedly received an invitation to become a party to the Mecca Collective Defence Agreement and that Tehran was considering whether to join.

By Sabina Mammadli