Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated Sunday that a new defense pact signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkey is "purely defensive" and remains open to other regional nations.
The "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement," also known as the Makkah Accord, was signed Friday by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to deepen security cooperation amid regional tensions.
Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agree on mutual defense pact
A primary provision stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three states shall be considered an attack against them all. Dar emphasized this aligns with Article 51 of the UN Charter regarding collective self-defense and clarified the agreement is not directed at any specific country, including Iran.
The alliance combines Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, Saudi Arabia’s economic influence, and Turkey’s advanced defense industry. Dar noted the accord does not replace existing bilateral or multilateral agreements.
While landmarks in Islamabad and Saudi cities were illuminated in celebration, defense analysts cautioned that despite the collective defense clause, the pact should not be viewed as a NATO equivalent. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia previously signed a separate mutual-defense agreement in September 2025.