Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on Friday, declaring that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all three.
The agreement, known as the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with the aim of strengthening collective security cooperation and deterrence capabilities among the three nations.
A senior Saudi diplomat said the agreement focuses on collective defense and deterrence, and is not intended to create a new military alliance or a sectarian bloc. He also stressed that it is not linked to any nuclear ambitions or an arms race.
Dr. Rayed Krimly, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, said the agreement would allow the three countries to further develop and integrate their defense capabilities. He added that it does not come at the expense of Riyadh’s strong relations with its Gulf, Arab, or international partners.
Krimly emphasized that the agreement does not pose a threat to the security of any country in the region, does not represent an escalation of tensions, and does not replace or override existing bilateral or multilateral agreements involving the three countries or other states and international organizations.
Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center, told Reuters that the agreement reflects a growing willingness among influential regional powers to coordinate more closely on security issues amid increasing uncertainty in the region and beyond.
