Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign trilateral defense pact in Mecca

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan Sign Islamic NATO-Style Defense Pact Amid Iran War On Friday Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a major defense agreement as leaders gathered in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. It seeks to strengthen joint deterrence and expanding defense cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported. It is essentially a NATO-style agreement for the 'Muslim world' - given that it stipulates and formalizes that an armed attack on any of the countries will be treated as an attack against all of them. Formally called the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, it "reflects the three nations’ commitment to bolstering their collective security and promoting peace, security and stability in the region and the wider world," SPA reported. The combined estimated population of these Muslim-majority countries is 380 million people, or according to the high estimates... approaching 400 million. Al Jazeera comments on the significance of the historic pact as follows: This is more than a diplomatic get-together and the signing of an agreement. This essentially puts three of the largest Muslim populations together on the roadmap for joint peace, for deterring any act of aggression against them, for making sure that they are in tune with each other when it comes to intelligence sharing, gathering all of the information that is required, and also enhancing cooperation in all sorts of spheres – whether it’s energy, defence expenditure or manufacturing, among others. Pakistan brings with it, obviously, its nuclear arsenal, battle-hardened military, and munitions it has been supplying. Turkiye, with its advanced drone and munitions systems, is a NATO member, combined with the economic power of Saudi Arabia. The three of them combined now present a force that will take this region towards a different security architecture than the one in place over the last few decades, especially in the wake of the Iran war. Indeed this further formalizes Pakistan's nuclear umbrella for Saudi Arabia, which lacks atomic weapons. Turkey does not have its own nukes either, but plays host to US nuclear weapons as part of NATO. Turkey maintains the second-largest military within the NATO alliance, behind the United States. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a bilateral defense pact, somewhat recently inked, which has lately seen Islamabad deploy 8,000 troops, a ​squadron of fighter jets, and an air defense system to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi kingdom has lately been subject of sporadic 'retaliatory' attacks from Iran in the context of the war, and has earlier even responded by launching numerous unpublicized strikes on Iran. And so already on the inking of the historic Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, one of the signatories finds itself (unwillingly) on the front lines of a conflict - given it also plays host to American forces - though isn't necessarily a key, direct participant in it. The Saudis have thus far relied largely on US defenses to protect themselves. Turkey has opposed Trump's Operation Epic Fury, and is an avowed enemy of Israel - and so this pact will only serve to further distance Saudi Arabia from entering the Abrahama Accords and establishing lasing normalization with Israel. Tyler Durden Fri, 08/07/2026 - 08:40

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to 'sign defence pact' on Friday Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will sign a joint defence agreement later on Friday, sources in Ankara told Middle East Eye. The deal, which has been under negotiation since last year, marks a significant new trilateral framework amid a deepening regional crisis following Israeli and US attacks on Iran.  Saudi analysts have previously said that Riyadh could activate the defence pact it currently has with Pakistan should it enter the Iran war. Friday's proposed deal could have similar implications for Turkey, which is already a US and Nato ally. However, it is not clear what Friday's deal will include in terms of mutual defence. The deal is expected to be signed in Mecca, one of Islam’s holiest sites, by the leaders of the three Muslim-majority countries. Read more: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to 'sign defence pact' on Friday Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) welcomes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Presidential Complex in Ankara in June 2022 (AFP/Turkish President)

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to sign defense pact on Friday, sources say Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Fri, 08/07/2026 - 07:48 "A first in kind," the agreement may include a mutual defense clause, sources add A Handout picture taken and released on June 22, 2022 by Turkish Presidential press office, shows Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) welcoming Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman (L) during an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. (Turkish Presidency / AFP) Off Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will sign a joint defence agreement later on Friday, sources in Ankara told Middle East Eye. The deal, which has been under negotiation since last year, marks a significant new trilateral framework amid a deepening regional crisis following Israeli-US attacks on Iran. “The agreement will change the balance of power in the region,” one Ankara-based source said. “If successfully implemented, the deal will enhance the stability and security of people living in this part of the world.” The sources said the agreement would cover all aspects of defence cooperation among the three countries. “It will not alter or undermine any other alliance commitments the three countries may have,” the same source added. The sources declined to say whether the agreement includes a mutual defence clause under which an attack on one country would be considered an attack on all three. A second source said the deal was likely to include such a clause but cautioned that its final terms had yet to be confirmed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Saudi Arabia early on Friday, where he will be hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Thursday. If Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign a trilateral defence pact, it would link three of the region’s largest countries, each with unique advantages. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia is the Arab world’s only G-20 economy and home to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities in Islam. Pakistan is the Muslim-world’s only nuclear-armed state. Turkey, which straddles Asia and Europe, boosts Nato’s second-largest army. Both Islamabad and Ankara are emerging as major weapons manufacturers and exporters. Pakistan is historically close to both Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Both the latter countries have not always seen eye-to-eye. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed popular protests following the Arab Spring that Riyadh saw as a threat to its monarchical system of governance. A decade ago, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joined forces to battle Turkey in Libya. They also supported Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former general whom Erdogan once denounced. But the region’s alliances have whipsawed. Erdogan and Sisi are moving closer amid joint concerns over Israel’s war on Gaza - recognised as a genocide by the United Nations, human rights groups and historians - and broader attacks on Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Saudi Arabia and Turkey began patching up ties around 2021. Diplomacy Istanbul, Turkey News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to 'sign defence pact' on Friday Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Fri, 08/07/2026 - 07:48 The 'first in kind' agreement may include a mutual defence clause, sources said Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) welcomes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Presidential Complex in Ankara in June 2022 (AFP/Turkish President) Off Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will sign a joint defence agreement later on Friday, sources in Ankara told Middle East Eye. The deal, which has been under negotiation since last year, marks a significant new trilateral framework amid a deepening regional crisis following Israeli and US attacks on Iran.  Saudi analysts have previously said that Riyadh could activate the defence pact it currently has with Pakistan should it enter the Iran war. Friday's proposed deal could have similar implications for Turkey, which is already a US and Nato ally. However, it is not clear what Friday's deal will include in terms of mutual defence. The deal is expected to be signed in Mecca, one of Islam’s holiest sites, by the leaders of the three Muslim-majority countries. “The agreement will change the balance of power in the region,” one Ankara-based source said. “If successfully implemented, the deal will enhance the stability and security of people living in this part of the world.” The sources said the agreement would cover all defence cooperation among the three countries. “It will not alter or undermine any other alliance commitments the three countries may have,” the same source added. Turks and Pakistanis arrive in Saudi Arabia The sources declined to say whether the agreement includes a mutual defence clause under which an attack on one country would be considered an attack on all three. A second source said the deal was likely to include such a clause but cautioned that its final terms had yet to be confirmed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Saudi Arabia early on Friday, where he will be hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Aramco reports bumper profits as it bypasses Strait of Hormuz Read More » Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Thursday. If Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign a trilateral defence pact, it would link three of the region’s largest countries, each with unique advantages. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia is the Arab world’s only G20 economy and home to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities in Islam. Pakistan is the Muslim-world’s only nuclear-armed state. Turkey, which straddles Asia and Europe, boosts Nato’s second-largest army. Both Islamabad and Ankara are emerging as major weapons manufacturers and exporters. Pakistan is historically close to both Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Both the latter countries have not always seen eye-to-eye. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed popular protests following the Arab Spring that Riyadh saw as a threat to its monarchical system of governance. A decade ago, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joined forces to battle Turkey in Libya. They also supported Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former general whom Erdogan once denounced. But the region’s alliances have whipsawed. Erdogan and Sisi are moving closer amid joint concerns over Israel’s war on Gaza - recognised as a genocide by the United Nations, human rights groups and historians - and broader attacks on Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Saudi Arabia and Turkey began patching up ties around 2021. Diplomacy Istanbul, Turkey News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0