Mecca: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey have signed a landmark joint defense agreement in Mecca, signaling a unified stance among Sunni Muslim US allies amidst escalating regional tensions. The agreement, known as the "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement," was formalized on Friday in response to fears over regional instability, particularly following Iranian missile attacks on Gulf oil exporters.
According to France24.com, Iran and its allies have been aggressively targeting Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, disrupting energy shipments and creating regional unrest since the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28. The new defense agreement among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey aims to bolster collective deterrence against acts of aggression, with a mutual understanding that an attack on one would be considered an attack on all, as stated in a joint declaration.
While the statement underscored a commitment to mutual defense, it stopped short of detailing the specific military commitments or actions that each country might undertake on behalf of the others. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz emphasized that the agreement is not directed at any particular nation, stressing its purely defensive nature and affirming that it does not disrupt existing agreements with other states.
The agreement comes amid growing concerns over the aggressive postures of Israel and Iran, as the United States struggles to manage a regional upheaval that has sparked a global energy crisis. Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, noted that the trilateral agreement could enhance the collective diplomatic and defense influence of the three countries while promoting a regionally driven security framework.
Turkey, boasting NATO's second-largest military, Saudi Arabia, as one of the world's leading oil exporters and the custodian of Islam's holiest sites, and nuclear-armed Pakistan, bring significant military and geopolitical weight to the agreement. Despite this, Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly clarified that the accord is not an attempt to form a military axis or a sectarian bloc, nor is it connected to nuclear ambitions or an arms race.
The pact, signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, follows nearly a year of negotiations. This development builds upon existing military ties, as Pakistan has provided military training and technical assistance to Saudi forces, while Turkey and Pakistan have engaged in the exchange of military assets, including warships and training aircraft.
The ongoing regional conflicts, particularly the Middle East turmoil since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, have heightened the urgency for this defense pact. As Israel continues its military campaigns in Gaza, southern Lebanon, Syria, and against Iran, the new agreement marks a strategic collaboration to counterbalance Iranian influence and deter potential threats from Israel.
Burcu Ozcelik of the RUSI think tank highlighted that the agreement's focus is on counterbalancing Iranian hegemony and building deterrence against Israel, rather than escalating confrontations with Tehran. Meanwhile, Israel and India have shown interest in the development, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declining to comment and India's Foreign Ministry closely monitoring the situation.