Ankara, Turkey (AP) – The defense agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey is not aimed at Iran or any other nation, stated Turkey’s foreign minister on Saturday. The accord is seen as a crucial step toward regional stability.
The pact, known as the ‘Makkah Joint Defense Agreement,’ was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday in the holy city of Makkah. It stipulates that an attack on one country will be considered an attack on all three.
This agreement brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear-armed Pakistan, and Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO and a rapidly growing defense industry. It aims to deepen cooperation and deterrence amid increasing regional uncertainty and threats stemming from the conflict in Iran.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in an interview with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu agency, emphasized that the three signatory countries do not perceive any specific state as their adversary unless hostile actions are undertaken against them.
“We have nothing written – nothing signed – that defines a common threat,” Fidan stated. “Any country not attacking us is not a target for us.”
Fidan described the mutual defense clause as “technically the same” as NATO’s Article 5, which considers an attack on one of 32 members as an attack on all. When asked about the mechanism, Fidan explained that one member would need to formally request assistance. This support could range from intelligence sharing and logistical aid to deploying military units, depending on the threat.
“These are multilayered matters that vary according to the magnitude of the threat,” Fidan added. “This is the perspective we’ve outlined in our work so far.”
The Turkish minister mentioned that other nations have shown interest in joining the agreement, although he did not name them. He expects Egypt, which he described as a “natural partner,” to participate in ‘the next stage.’
Under the agreement, the foreign affairs and defense ministers of the three countries, along with their military chiefs, will hold regular meetings. The nations will also establish a secretariat based in Saudi Arabia, Fidan explained.
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