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The landmark Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was signed on Friday
by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
as the three countries seek to deepen security cooperation amid
heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Sunday the agreement
was “purely defensive in nature” and that other countries could
join if they were willing to uphold its principles and resolve
differences through peaceful means, adding the deal reflected a
shared desire to strengthen strategic security cooperation.
His post on X came a day after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan
Fidan similarly said the agreement was not aimed at Iran or any
other country.
The agreement stipulates "that any armed attack against any one
of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them
all,” according to statements released by the three sides. Dar
said in his post the stipulation was consistent with the right
of individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of
the U.N. Charter.
Pakistan, he said, would continue working with countries across
the region toward lasting peace and stability.
“The Makkah Accord does not abrogate or replace any existing
bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries, or
with other countries or organizations,” he wrote.
His comments followed overnight public celebrations of the
agreement. Landmarks in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad and Saudi
cities were illuminated in the colors of the Saudi, Turkish and
Pakistani flags.
The three countries bring significant but differing capabilities
to the arrangement. Pakistan has extensive military experience
and is the Muslim world’s only nuclear-armed country; Saudi
Arabia brings substantial economic resources and regional
influence; and NATO member Turkey has a large military and an
increasingly sophisticated domestic defense industry.
In Islamabad, defense analysts cautioned against viewing the
agreement as the equivalent of NATO, despite its
collective-defense provision. Abdullah Khan, an Islamabad-based
defense analyst, said that although the agreement was signed
during a period of heightened regional tensions, it should not
be interpreted as being directed against Iran or another
country.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained close military ties
for decades and signed a separate mutual-defense agreement in
September 2025. Pakistan and Turkey also have expanded military
and defense-industrial cooperation in recent years
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