Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a mutual defense agreement, similar to that of NATO, according to which an armed attack on one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all.
The agreement, signed in Mecca during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to strengthen military cooperation and create a joint preventive mechanism against external threats.
The joint statement states that the agreement aims to "strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression" and stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three states will be considered an attack on all.
The document also envisages expanding cooperation in the field of defense, although it does not specify in detail the specific obligations of each country. A Turkish official described the agreement as “entirely defense.”
The pact comes at a tense moment for security in the Middle East, as the war between the United States and Iran has directly affected the security of Gulf countries and caused problems for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
For Saudi Arabia, the agreement is seen as an additional layer of security in a region where the traditional defense architecture has been shaken.
Pakistan, meanwhile, benefits from its connection to Saudi Arabia's economic power and Turkey's military and industrial capabilities, especially after escalating tensions with India in 2025.
For Turkey, the agreement could create new opportunities for its defense industry, through joint production, technological partnerships, military procurement, and increased interoperability between the three countries' forces.
The Mecca Agreement thus marks an important strategic rapprochement between three of the greatest Muslim powers.