Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on Friday, in a wedding of Sunni Muslim U.S. allies alarmed at a regional conflagration that has rained missile fire onto Gulf oil exporters, reports BritPanorama.
Iran and its allies have been firing on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, and blockading their energy shipments, since the U.S. and Israel attacked it on February 28 in a major escalation after years of regional turmoil.
The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three would be regarded as an attack on all, they said in a joint statement.
While the statement did not give specifics on the commitments or obligations each had accepted under the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” it stated that the pact was aimed at strengthening their collective security and promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond. “The pact includes a collective defense clause. It is purely defensive in nature, pledging mutual support only for defense,” a Turkish official said. The agreement was not directed against any specific actor, was open to other regional countries, and did not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral arrangements, the official added.
However, the three nations are particularly concerned by the increasingly aggressive military stances of both Israel and revolutionary Shia Iran, as their longtime U.S. ally struggles to contain regional upheaval.
Powerful political symbolism
“The political symbolism of the summit is significant. Three of the Muslim world’s most influential states are convening at a moment of heightened uncertainty, demonstrating a growing willingness among regional and middle powers to coordinate more closely on security matters,” said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, a Saudi-based think tank.
“If institutionalized and translated into concrete cooperation, the trilateral framework could strengthen the three countries’ collective diplomatic and defense weight while contributing to the emergence of a more regionally driven security architecture,” Sager added. Turkey has NATO’s second-largest military, Saudi Arabia is the strongest Gulf state, home to Islam’s holiest sites, and Pakistan is the only nuclear-armed Muslim country.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by powerful army chief Asim Munir, performed the Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s arrival. They met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country has faced attacks from Iran and its allies, including Houthi forces in Yemen and Shia militias in Iraq, since the war began. The conflict has also affected the security of Riyadh’s Gulf allies and disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies. Their pact follows nearly a year of negotiations, reported by Reuters in January.
Long-standing military ties
The Middle East has been in turmoil since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, with nearly every country in the region experiencing cross-border attacks or missile and drone fire. Israel has conducted military operations in the Gaza Strip, invaded southern Lebanon, and seized territory in Syria, along with launching air campaigns against Iran.
Tehran has attacked U.S. bases and civilian infrastructure in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Israel.
While Turkey and Pakistan, located on the borders of the Middle East, have avoided significant direct attacks, both are keen to mitigate conflicts that threaten their own security and economic stability.
For Saudi Arabia, the consequences of three years of Middle East conflicts have been severe, jeopardizing its oil exports and development plans, while raising doubts over the reliability of its long-standing U.S. security umbrella. A senior Saudi official indicated an expectation of imminent coordinated attacks from both Iraqi militias and the Houthis under Iranian direction, highlighting Riyadh’s intent to expand its alliances.
Sealing Friday’s agreement in Mecca, the holiest site in Islam, adds symbolic weight to a pact that builds on longstanding military ties among the three nations.
Mansoor Ahmed, of the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, noted that Pakistan and Turkey contribute strong defense industries, while Saudi Arabia’s technological investments could enhance the collaboration.
However, the accord is unlikely to include a nuclear component, as Pakistan’s atomic deterrent focuses on perceived threats from India, Ahmed added.
Pakistan has provided training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades, while Turkey and Pakistan have exchanged warships and training aircraft. In 2023, Riyadh agreed to purchase Turkish drones in what Ankara termed its largest defense export contract.
Pakistan has since deployed about 8,000 troops, fighter jets, drones, and an air defense system to the kingdom, and has pursued broader Gulf security ties. Efforts are ongoing with Kuwait to negotiate an expanded pact in exchange for energy cooperation and investment.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
