Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday, committing to mutual support in the event of an armed attack as military tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate.
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Under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three, according to a joint statement issued after the agreement was signed.
The pact is intended to strengthen collective deterrence, enhance security cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond.
A Turkish official said the agreement includes a collective defence clause and is purely defensive in nature, with the three countries pledging mutual support only for defence. The official added that the agreement is not directed against any specific country, remains open to other regional states and does not replace existing bilateral or multilateral defence arrangements.
Pact carries wider regional significance
The agreement comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, with missile and drone attacks affecting several Gulf countries and disruptions to regional energy and shipping routes.
The conflict has raised security concerns for Saudi Arabia, whose oil infrastructure and ambitious economic development projects face increased risks from regional instability.
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Analysts said the agreement also carries significant political symbolism, bringing together three influential Muslim-majority countries at a time of heightened uncertainty.
Saudi Arabia is a major global oil exporter and home to Islam’s two holiest sites, while Turkey has NATO’s second-largest military. Pakistan is the world’s only nuclear-armed Muslim-majority state.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have longstanding defence ties
The new agreement builds on decades of military cooperation between the three countries.
Pakistan has provided training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades and has expanded its security cooperation with Gulf states. Turkey and Pakistan have also maintained defence ties involving military training, naval cooperation and defence equipment.
Saudi Arabia has strengthened its defence relationship with Turkey in recent years, including an agreement to purchase Turkish drones.
Pakistan has also deployed military personnel and equipment to Saudi Arabia as part of its broader defence cooperation with the kingdom.
Agreement follows months of negotiations
The trilateral pact follows months of negotiations aimed at strengthening security cooperation among the three countries.
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The agreement comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to broaden its security partnerships amid growing uncertainty over the region’s traditional security arrangements.
For Pakistan and Turkey, regional instability also poses economic and security risks because of their geographic proximity to the Middle East and their close political and economic ties with Gulf states.
The three countries said the agreement would focus on collective security and defence, while emphasising its defensive character.
