Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan sign Makkah defense agreement

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement at Al-Safa Palace on Friday, establishing mutual defense obligations between the three nations.

Makkah summit

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud hosted Erdogan and Sharif in Makkah for the summit where the pact was finalized, according to a statement by Türkiye's Communications Directorate. The agreement reflects the three countries' shared commitment to reinforcing collective security, building on longstanding historical ties, Islamic solidarity and common strategic interests.

The deal aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression while providing for the enhancement of defense cooperation across all military domains among the three nations. It establishes a framework for coordinating responses to threats and deepening institutional ties between Ankara, Riyadh and Islamabad.

Mutual defense clause

The pact stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries shall be regarded as an attack against them all, triggering mutual defense obligations. This clause formalizes a military alliance structure between the Sunni-majority powers, which have historically maintained close bilateral defense cooperation.

The three leaders pledged to promote peace and stability in the region and beyond through their enhanced partnership. The signing marks a significant step in institutionalizing trilateral security coordination, according to the Turkish statement.