Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Friday, August 7, agreeing that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all.
The agreement, signed by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and expand defense cooperation between the three countries.
The agreement was signed during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defense, held at Al-Safa Palace following a meeting between the three leaders. The summit reviewed relations between the countries and discussed issues of mutual interest.
According to a joint statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against acts of aggression and enhance cooperation across defense matters.
The statement did not specify what military obligations each country would have in the event of an attack or outline the circumstances under which the three countries would be required to intervene militarily.
The agreement comes as regional tensions continue to threaten Gulf security, energy infrastructure and international shipping routes. Saudi Arabia has faced attacks from Iran and Iran-aligned groups during the wider regional conflict, while disruptions to energy shipments have raised concerns over the security of major oil-exporting routes.
For Saudi Arabia, the agreement also builds on longstanding defense ties with both countries. Pakistan has provided military training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades, while Saudi Arabia has strengthened its defense cooperation with Türkiye, including through the purchase of Turkish drones.
The pact also follows a separate mutual defense agreement signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan last year.
Türkiye and Pakistan have also supported Saudi Arabia’s efforts to establish a maritime defense coalition aimed at protecting regional shipping and energy routes.
The agreement follows nearly a year of negotiations between the three countries and comes amid broader efforts by regional powers to strengthen security cooperation as the Middle East faces continued military and political instability.
Comments (0)