The Impact of the US-Iran Conflict Further Spreads, Pakistan Draws a "Red Line"

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 17 - Since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war, Pakistan has played an important mediating role. However, sources indicate that the recent mutual attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni Houthi forces have put Pakistan at great risk of being drawn into the conflict. The Pakistani side has solemnly stated to Iran that an attack on Saudi Arabia is an attack on Pakistan, which is Pakistan's "red line."

The Houthi forces are allies of Iran. Reuters reported on the 16th, citing Pakistani officials, that the Pakistani government and military leaders have conveyed their "red line" position to the highest levels in Iran.

The report states that since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war, Pakistan has rarely been so close to being forced to "take sides." Pakistani security analyst Muhammad Amir Rana said that Pakistan did not expect the tensions to "suddenly escalate."

According to the joint strategic defense agreement signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September 2025, any attack by a third party against either country will be regarded as "an aggression against both countries." On the 13th of this month, the Houthi forces launched missiles and drones at Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, citing Saudi airstrikes on the Yemeni capital Sana'a International Airport, which they control. According to U.S. media, this is the most serious conflict between the two sides since 2022.

So far, the aforementioned conflict is regarded as a "single incident." There are concerns that if hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi forces reignite, regional tensions will escalate, and the impact of the U.S.-Iran war will further spill over.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated on the 16th that Pakistan calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and resolve issues through dialogue and diplomatic means.

According to Reuters, the signing of the joint strategic defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan reflects the growing skepticism among Gulf countries regarding the so-called "security guarantees" provided by the United States, and they view countries like Pakistan as alternative options.

Additionally, Reuters reported on the 16th, citing sources, that Iran has told the Houthi forces that if the U.S. attacks Iran's power grid, the Houthi forces will block the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The Iranian government has not responded to this.

The report states that the Houthi forces have completed the necessary preparations and deployed missiles and drones near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Some sources indicate that blocking the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is "not difficult," and disrupting shipping in that area "does not even require complex missiles."

The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and is the "throat" that links the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian Oceans, often referred to as the "maritime corridor" connecting the three continents of Eurasia and Africa. Given that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has already been severely obstructed due to the U.S.-Iran war, if the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is also blocked, it will further impact global energy supplies.

To bypass the obstructed Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Aramco has utilized a pipeline that runs east to west to transport crude oil produced in Saudi Arabia's eastern oil fields to Yanbu Port on the Red Sea coast, and then export it through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Data provided by professional institutions shows that the recent daily average crude oil shipment volume at Yanbu Port has approached peak levels, more than four times that of the same period last year.

Pakistan is highly dependent on oil and gas imports from the Middle East, and its domestic energy supply has been affected by the U.S.-Iran war. Reuters quoted Pakistani sources as saying, "Ending the war is in the best interest of all parties." (Chen Lixi)