Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan Sign Joint Defence Pact Amid Rising Middle East Tensions

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement aimed at strengthening collective security as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East following months of military confrontations involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

The agreement, known as the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, was signed on Friday in the Saudi holy city of Mecca after months of negotiations among the three countries.

According to a joint statement issued after the signing, the pact is designed to reinforce collective deterrence against external aggression and provides that an armed attack on any of the three member states would be regarded as an attack on all.

While the statement did not specify the exact military commitments or operational obligations under the agreement, it said the partnership seeks to strengthen regional security while promoting peace, stability and cooperation.

A Turkish official described the agreement as purely defensive, stressing that it was not targeted at any specific country.

“The agreement is defensive in nature, is not directed against any specific actor, is open to other regional countries, and does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral arrangements,” the official said.

The three countries have expressed growing concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, particularly amid heightened military tensions involving Israel and Iran.

The regional crisis has intensified following attacks involving Iran, its allied groups and Israeli forces, with several Gulf states facing missile and drone threats while maritime trade through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has also been severely disrupted.

Speaking on the significance of the agreement, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center, Abdulaziz Sager, said the alliance reflects a growing desire among influential Muslim nations to coordinate more closely on regional security.

“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, showing a growing willingness among regional and middle powers to coordinate more closely on security matters,” Sager said.

He added:

“If institutionalised and translated into concrete cooperation, the trilateral framework could strengthen the three countries’ collective diplomatic and defence weight while contributing to the emergence of a more regionally driven security architecture.”

Turkey possesses NATO’s second-largest military, Saudi Arabia remains one of the world’s leading oil producers and custodian of Islam’s two holiest mosques, while Pakistan is the only Muslim-majority nation with nuclear weapons.

Ahead of the signing ceremony, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, performed the Umrah pilgrimage before holding talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The defence agreement comes as Saudi Arabia continues to face security challenges from attacks linked to Iran and allied armed groups, while Gulf countries remain concerned about the impact of the conflict on regional stability and global energy supplies.

The pact also builds on existing defence cooperation among the three countries. Pakistan has provided military training and technical support to Saudi Arabia for decades, while Turkey and Pakistan have maintained extensive defence collaboration involving naval assets, military aircraft and joint training programmes.

In 2023, Saudi Arabia signed what Ankara described as its largest defence export agreement for the purchase of Turkish drones.

According to Reuters, Pakistan has also deployed approximately 8,000 troops, fighter jets, drones and air defence systems to Saudi Arabia as part of broader security cooperation between both countries.

Analyst Mansoor Ahmed of the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre said the partnership combines Pakistan’s and Turkey’s defence manufacturing capabilities with Saudi Arabia’s financial and technological resources.

However, he noted that the agreement is unlikely to extend to Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, which remain primarily focused on its strategic rivalry with India.

The defence pact follows nearly a year of negotiations and reflects increasing efforts by regional powers to develop home-grown security arrangements amid persistent instability across the Middle East.