SAUDI Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan have signed a mutual defence agreement as escalating regional tensions fuel concerns over security and the stability of vital shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea.
The pact comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to strengthen its security arrangements amid the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has increasingly drawn neighbouring countries into the wider confrontation.
The conflict has also heightened the strategic role of Iran and its ally, Yemen’s Houthi movement, both of which have launched attacks against Saudi Arabia, while analysts say Washington is increasingly being viewed as an unreliable security partner.
In a joint statement issued by Saudi Arabia’s official news agency and Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, the three countries announced the signing of the "Makkah Mutual Defence Agreement".
"They reaffirmed their joint commitment to continue strengthening collective security and promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond."
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said any aggression against one of the member states would be regarded as an attack against all three, with the agreement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence.
Türkiye stressed that the pact was not directed against any particular country.
It also said the agreement was consistent with its existing international alliance commitments, including those underpinning its membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
Saudi Arabia said the agreement was not intended to create a military axis or a bloc based on sectarian considerations.
Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said in a post on X that the pact had no connection with any nuclear ambitions or an arms race, but was instead focused on developing sustainable defence capabilities.
"The agreement also does not pose a threat to the security of any country in the region," AFP reported him saying. - August 8, 2026
