MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed a defense agreement on Friday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia aimed at strengthening joint deterrence and expanding defense cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement stipulates that an armed attack on any of the countries will be treated as an attack against all of them.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lead senior officials during their performance of Friday prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. (SPA)
According to SPA, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif were received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Royal Court at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah, where the leaders reviewed relations between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan and discussed issues of mutual interest.
SPA said the Makkah Summit for Joint Defence was held on the basis of the three countries’ historic ties, Islamic solidarity, shared strategic interests and close defense cooperation.
“The agreement reflects the three nations’ commitment to bolstering their collective security and promoting peace, security and stability in the region and the wider world”, SPA reported.
The agreement also covers the development of all aspects of defense cooperation between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif meets Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Al Safa Palace. Makkah, 7 August 2026. pic.twitter.com/opj0uNFY0L
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) August 7, 2026
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Friday said the agreement reflected the deep strategic ties between the three countries and marked a significant step in defense cooperation, saying it demonstrated their shared commitment to addressing regional security challenges and supporting stability.
Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman also said the pact established a framework for a long-term defense partnership that would strengthen deterrence, coordination and integration between the three countries while contributing to regional and international security and stability.
According to Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly, the agreement reflects the depth of the longstanding strategic relationship between the three countries and follows years of negotiations.
Krimly added that it is intended to strengthen joint defense capabilities, improve military readiness and strategic deterrence, and enhance cooperation in responding to shared security threats.
Turkiye says new defense pact aligns with NATO commitments
Turkiye said on Friday that its new defense agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia did not contradict its commitments to the NATO alliance.
“The agreement is not in contradiction with the commitments of Turkiye’s existing international alliances, including those at the heart of NATO,” the government’s anti-disinformation service said in a post on X.
In fact, it was an additional cooperation mechanism that supported regional security, the statement added.
“Turkiye’s development of regional partnerships is not an alternative to its NATO membership,” it said.
The service said it was responding to “baseless claims and manipulative posts” criticizing the new agreement.
The three countries signed the joint decree on Friday in Riyadh, amid violence in the region from Houthi attacks and the US-Iran war.
Wtih AFP
