Mecca Pact Seeks to Contain Iran's Regional Influence

The recent announcement of the Saudi-Pakistani-Turkish trilateral defence agreement, dubbed the 'Mecca Pact', aims to counter Iran's influence in the region. The pact is a response to the failure of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran and the limitations it has exposed in deterring Iranian aggression.

The war against Iran entered an unstable status quo after the American-Israeli attack, with no clear victory or imposition of limits on its nuclear and missile capabilities. In fact, the war highlighted the weaknesses of the US military in protecting Gulf states from Iranian attacks.

The Mecca Pact is seen as a desperate move by Saudi Arabia to protect its oil production industry from Iranian threats. The kingdom has already signed a bilateral strategic defence agreement with Pakistan but it has proven ineffective in deterring Iran.