ISLAMABAD: The leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement” on Friday which stipulates that any armed attack against one country will be treated as an attack against all three, amid regional tensions between the United States (US) and Iran.
The agreement was signed after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday for a one-day visit to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Sharif had already arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a three-day visit, leading a high-level delegation comprising Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to discuss regional developments and bilateral ties.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark defense agreement in September 2025, the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement, which pledges that an attack against one country will be seen as an attack against both. Pakistan has frequently stressed that it will abide by the agreement if Saudi Arabia’s security is challenged.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Erdogan and Sharif at the Al-Safa Palace in Makkah, where the ‘Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defense’ was held, the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement. The three leaders then signed the agreement after reviewing relations between their countries, along with other matters of mutual interest.
“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 foreign office said.
“It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three states.”
The Pakistani foreign office said the agreement reflects the three states’ shared commitment to further strengthen their collective security and promote peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.
The development takes place amid the ongoing war between the US and Iran, and renewed hopes for peace. US President Donald Trump canceled planned strikes against Iran on Sunday, saying Middle Eastern countries had reached the “parameters” of a deal to end the war.
Tehran also said earlier this week that it has reached an agreement with Oman on a route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz waterway.
A senior Pakistani official with direct knowledge of the development told Arab News earlier that the Pakistani leadership’s visit to the Kingdom was “significant.”
“The visit of Pakistani prime minister and Field Marshal Asim Munir is very significant as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye leaders will hold key talks on trilateral defense cooperation,” the official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Pakistan has played a key role in mediating between the US and Iran since the war began in February. It hosted the first round of direct talks between the US and Iran in April and helped broker an interim peace deal between the two sides in June, known as the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.”
Fighting between both countries resumed shortly, after the US accused Iran of attacking its ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively blocked for trade since February.
