US President Donald Trump says he welcomes a three-way defence pact signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. In a post on Truth Social, he says he is “very happy” the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement is signed, calling it a “big, bold and important first step” toward allowing the countries to defend themselves in a more meaningful way.
The agreement, signed on August 7, is described as strengthening collective deterrence. It provides that an attack against one signatory is treated as an attack against all. Sources also link the pact to heightened regional tensions, including attacks involving the Houthi group and broader fallout from US-Iran conflict.
Turkiye’s defence ministry says the pact sets out political and military mechanisms and could deepen defence industry cooperation. Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Turkiye’s foreign minister characterize the arrangement as defensive, with the latter saying it is open to other regional countries that share its principles. Turkiye’s officials publicly express hope that additional states—such as Egypt—will join in a later stage, while some regional reactions, including from Iran, are described as comparatively positive. Other Gulf states and Somalia are also noted as having welcomed the deal, while India says it is assessing implications for its national security and regional stability.
