Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan Sign Joint Defense Pact

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a joint defense pact in Mecca stipulating that an armed attack on any of the three states will be treated as an attack on all.

Key points

• The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
• Turkish officials stated the pact is purely defensive, does not target any specific actor, and remains open to other regional partners.
• Saudi military sources indicated that the ongoing war with Iran and regional proxy escalations accelerated the security agreement.

Why it matters

This trilateral defense agreement significantly alters the regional security architecture in the Middle East and South Asia amid escalating tensions involving the US and Iran.