Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on Friday, according to CNN Arabic. The pact, named the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense, states that any armed attack on one of the three nations will be treated as an attack on all, the outlet reported.
The signing took place during a trilateral summit hosted in Mecca at the invitation of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, per reports from Saudi outlet Sabq and Asharq Al-Awsat. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were present for the ceremony and later performed Friday prayers together, CNN Arabic reported.
The agreement marks a significant step in defense cooperation among the three countries, though the full scope of its provisions has not been detailed in the reports. The Saudi Press Agency confirmed that Erdogan departed Jeddah after the summit, indicating the meetings concluded with the signing.
The pact comes amid broader regional realignments, with all three nations maintaining close ties on trade, energy, and security issues. The collective defense clause is a notable commitment, binding the three states to mutual support in the event of external aggression.
Observers will likely watch for how the agreement is implemented in practice, including whether it leads to joint military exercises or intelligence-sharing arrangements. The next test will be how the three governments translate the symbolic commitment into concrete defense cooperation.
