# Defence Minister Says No Defence Pact in Tehran Huddle

> Defence Minister Khawaja Asif denies Pakistan’s involvement in Iran’s defence pact talks, calling JUI-F’s remarks 'misplaced'.
- Title: Defence Minister Says No Defence Pact in Tehran Huddle · Dawn
- Summary: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif denies Pakistan’s involvement in Iran’s defence pact talks, calling JUI-F’s remarks 'misplaced'.
- Keywords: defence ministry, jui-f, maulana fazlur rehman, khyber pakhtunkhwa, makkah defence pact, badr memorandum of understanding, senate, national assembly, prime minister, musharraf government, governor's rule, electoral reforms
- Source: Dawn — https://dawn.com/news/2040695/not-defence-ministrys-mandate-asif-responds-after-fazls-remarks-about-his-absence-at-tehran-huddle
- Author: News Desk | Iftikhar A. Khan
- Published: 2026-10-29T08:27:57+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: defence ministry, jui-f, maulana fazlur rehman, khyber pakhtunkhwa, makkah defence pact, badr memorandum of understanding, senate, national assembly, prime minister, musharraf government, governor's rule, electoral reforms
## Tehran Huddle Meeting
Federal ministers responded to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s remarks about a recent Tehran meeting involving Makkah Defence Pact countries and Iran.
## Defence Minister’s Response
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated the meeting was not related to defence, so his presence was not required.
## Interior Minister’s Clarification
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi explained his participation in the Tehran meeting was to handle the ongoing crisis in Iran.
## JUI-F’s Criticism
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned why Defence Minister Asif and Interior Minister Naqvi were at the Tehran meeting.
## Defence Pact Claim
Maulana Fazlur Rehman claimed a defence pact was taking shape in Iran and the defence minister was sitting in Pakistan.
## Asif’s Defence
Defence Minister Asif said no defence pact was taking shape in Tehran and the meeting was not Pakistan’s defence mandate.
## CDF’s Role
Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir assumed a role for Pakistan to promote peace and dialogue after the India military conflict.
## Two Defence Pacts
Pakistan has signed two defence pacts: the Makkah Defence Pact and the Badr Memorandum of Understanding.
## Peace Efforts
The CDF proposed the Tehran meeting to pave the ground for peace efforts, avoiding a confrontation over Yemen.
## Asif’s Advice
Defence Minister Asif advised JUI-F to be the bigger person and called their criticism 'misplaced'.
## Senate Response
Interior Minister Naqvi defended his participation in the Tehran meeting to handle the Iran crisis.
## Naqvi’s Clarification
Naqvi stated he was tasked by the prime minister to handle the current crisis in Iran, not to attend a defence meeting.
## JUI-F’s Criticism
JUI-F senator Kamran Murtaza accused the government of staging a 'programme to sling mud' at Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
## Murtaza’s Claim
Murtaza claimed the government sent messages to people to criticize Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
## Asif’s Past Criticism
Defence Minister Asif accused Fazlur Rehman of having a 'past full of contradictions' and violating his own principles.
## Electoral Reforms
Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas claimed KP was 'snatched from the people' and rigging in 2024 elections occurred.
## Key takeaway

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif states Pakistan’s participation in Tehran huddle was not defence-related, rejecting JUI-F’s claims of a defence pact.