The 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 between the three Sunni Muslim-majority states brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army, and a rapidly growing defense industry. It would increase cooperation and deterrence at a time of increased regional uncertainty and threats from the war in Iran.
“The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all," the Pakistani Foreign Ministry and Turkey's presidential communications directorate said in identical statements.
“It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three States,” the statements said, adding that the agreement was called the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.”
Earlier, Turkish media reports said it is likely to allow joint military exercises and training, technology transfers and the sharing of intelligence.
Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships.
The agreement also comes amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel over Gaza and other regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and Lebanon.
A Turkish government official described the agreement as “purely defensive in nature,” saying the sides have pledged mutual support only for defense.
