Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement on Friday, pledging that an armed attack on any one of them would be considered an attack on all three.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed during a summit at Al-Safa Palace in Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Officials from the three countries stressed the pact is purely defensive and not aimed at any specific country, including Iran. Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said it is not a military axis or sectarian bloc and has no connection to nuclear ambitions or an arms race.
The agreement is meant to strengthen joint deterrence against aggression, improve readiness and integrate the countries' defence capabilities to address common security threats. It does not replace existing bilateral or multilateral agreements involving the three nations, Krimly said, nor does it undermine Saudi Arabia's relations with its Gulf, Arab and international partners.
Krimly said the pact reflects decades of close strategic ties and was the result of detailed negotiations conducted over several years. A joint statement said it builds on long-standing historical ties and Islamic solidarity.
The signing came at a time of heightened regional tensions, including conflict involving Iran and a renewed fight against Yemen's Houthi movement, Middle East Eye reported. A Turkish spokesperson said the deal is not directed against any specific actor.