Reuters reported exclusively on July 17 that several sources said Pakistan is negotiating an expanded defense agreement with Kuwait in exchange for energy cooperation and investment. Pakistan is the only country in the Islamic world that possesses nuclear weapons.
Sources also said that the negotiations are still in their early stages. One of the sources said that the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran could complicate the negotiations.
Since 2023, Kuwait and Pakistan have established a relatively limited defense agreement, which involves training and joint exercises.
A Pakistani official revealed that currently, Kuwait is seeking Pakistan to demonstrate military strength, similar to the agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. This includes “thousands of Pakistani ground troops, fighter jets, drones, air defense systems, and other defense-related facilities.”
Another Pakistani official said, “Kuwait’s wishlist is comprehensive. But one thing I must clarify—we are not, and cannot consider deploying combat troops right now.”
A video released by a website under the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the 17th showed that a missile was launched from an undisclosed location, targeting American targets in places like Kuwait.
Reports indicate that due to the presence of US military bases in Kuwait, the country has been subjected to fierce attacks from Iran since this year. This could also lead to questions about Pakistan’s role in future mediation efforts between the United States and Iran.
In September last year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a joint defense agreement. However, after the outbreak of the war in Iran, this agreement faced severe challenges that neither Pakistan nor Saudi Arabia could have anticipated. Islamabad finds itself in a difficult situation, having to navigate carefully between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
