Pashtun tribal leaders in Pakistan voiced support for Iran during a gathering at the Iranian consulate in Peshawar, signalling the potential for broader regional unrest.

The pledge comes a day after Yemen’s Houthis declared they would enter the war on Iran’s side on March 28, threatening to potentially. Pashtun and Iranians are both Shia Muslims, but Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims, and allied with Iran more through their hate of the US than on religious grounds.

According to local reporting, representatives of Pashtun tribal groups told Iranian officials they were ready to mobilise fighters in support of Tehran in the event of further escalation involving Israel. “If you give the order, we millions of tribal Pashtuns stand ready to wage jihad alongside Iran against Israel,” the leaders said.

They added: “We will arrange our own weapons and rations.”

The remarks, while not reflecting any formal state position, highlight the risk of non-state actors becoming more directly involved in a widening regional confrontation. Pakistan’s government has not commented on the meeting, and there is no indication of official endorsement of the statements made at the consulate.

Pashtun tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border have historically maintained semi-autonomous structures, with local leaders exerting influence independent of central authorities. Mobilisation from such groups would raise concerns about cross-border flows of fighters and the potential for further destabilisation.

Iran has in the past cultivated relationships with a range of non-state actors across the region as part of its broader security strategy. However, any direct coordination with tribal fighters from Pakistan would mark a significant expansion of that approach.

“If you give the order, we millions of tribal Pashtuns stand ready to wage jihad alongside Iran against Israel,” the tribal representatives said, adding that they would “arrange our own weapons and rations.”