Middle Eastern Powers Unite Against Aggression
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a defense agreement that treats an attack on one as an attack on all three. The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression. Any armed attack against one of the three states will be regarded as an attack against all three, according to identical statements from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry and Turkey's presidential communications directorate.
Saudi Arabia has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships, particularly in light of critical infrastructure and oil facilities being attacked during the war in Iran. The agreement is seen as a natural evolution of decades-long strategic ties among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.