Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement under which an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against them all, according to a joint statement released on Friday.
The agreement was signed in Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during an official meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia.
According to the joint statement, the pact is based on the three countries’ “deep historical ties, longstanding brotherhood, Islamic solidarity, shared strategic interests and well-established defence cooperation.”
It aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression while expanding defence cooperation across all areas.
The leaders said the agreement reflects their shared determination to enhance collective security, promote peace, security and stability in the region and beyond, and build a secure and prosperous future together.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry reiterated the agreement stipulates that “any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all.”
It said the pact is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression and deepen strategic defence cooperation among the three countries.
Leaders hold talks in Mecca
Earlier on Friday, Turkish President Erdogan met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al-Safa Palace in Mecca as part of his working visit to Saudi Arabia.
According to the joint statement, the leaders reviewed the strong bilateral and trilateral relations between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, as well as issues of mutual interest.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Intelligence Organization chief Ibrahim Kalin, Türkiye’s ambassador to Riyadh Emrullah Isler and Presidential Chief of Staff Hasan Dogan also attended the meeting.
Regional security backdrop
The Mecca agreement comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region following the outbreak of the US war on Iran on February 28.
Saudi Arabia has since faced one of the largest sustained missile and drone campaigns in its modern history, with Tehran repeatedly targeting military bases, energy infrastructure and civilian sites.
According to Saudi authorities, Iran had launched 1,131 drones and 140 ballistic and cruise missiles at the kingdom by April 7, targeting oil facilities, power plants, military positions, civilian sites and foreign embassies.
The conflict has also expanded beyond Iran’s borders, with Iran-aligned Houthi forces stepping up attacks on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.
The deteriorating security environment has accelerated defence cooperation among regional partners. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a bilateral defence pact in 2025, drawing international attention because Pakistan is the Muslim world’s only nuclear-armed state.
