ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Wednesday its new collective defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was designed to deter conflict and promote stability beyond the three countries, as the alliance moves into its implementation phase amid renewed tensions in the Middle East.

The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed on Aug. 7, commits Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye to collective action against aggression, treating an armed attack against one member as an attack against all three.

The agreement moved into its implementation phase this week, with the first meeting of its Strategic Political and Defense Committee held in Istanbul on Aug. 31. Pakistan has repeatedly said the pact is defensive and not directed against any particular country.

“This alliance is essentially a framework for defense. So obviously whilst it serves the interests of the three countries, it also serves the interests of the region and beyond whereby the agreement is tailored toward maintaining and improving the peace, prosperity, regional stability and basically ending the prospects of war in the region,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters at his weekly briefing.

Andrabi said the alliance served the collective interests of the three member states as well as the wider region.

“So, we will continue to follow our promise with respect to the agreement in this spirit that it is in the collective interest of the region.”

Asked about the possible inclusion of Kuwait, Bahrain or other countries, Andrabi reiterated Pakistan’s position that any request to join would be considered jointly with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

“We are not aware of any particular country but as I said last week, whenever the country wishes to join this agreement with the commitment for collective obligations and common security interests, the case will be examined in close consultations with our partners in Riyadh and Ankara.”

Asked about the appointment of a secretary-general for the alliance, Andrabi said Pakistan would make the selection.

“An individual fitting this important responsibility will be selected by Pakistan. We will inform you about it in due course,” he said.

US-IRAN TENSIONS

Andrabi said separately that Pakistan remained engaged in efforts to de-escalate renewed tensions between the United States and Iran and bring the two sides back to negotiations.

“Despite recent escalations, we remain hopeful, and we will continue to strive for dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the evolving regional situation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, according to Andrabi, reiterating Pakistan’s support for restraint and diplomacy.

“We underscored that the understanding reached under the Islamabad MoU offers the most viable pathway toward lasting peace and stability in the region,” Andrabi said.

Pakistan has been mediating between Washington and Tehran and helped broker the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as part of efforts to maintain a ceasefire and establish a framework for negotiations following the US-Iran conflict.

Andrabi said Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent visit to Tehran was also part of Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts, with discussions focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, regional de-escalation, breaking the military stalemate and exploring a negotiated settlement.

“The visit underscored Islamabad’s sincere and constructive role in bridging differences between Washington and Tehran,” Andrabi said, adding that the visit had generated momentum reflected subsequently in visits by the leadership of Oman and Qatar.

The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway connecting the Gulf with the Arabian Sea, is one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes and has been a focus of diplomatic efforts during the conflict.

Asked about fresh US economic sanctions on Iran and warnings to countries trading with Tehran, Andrabi said Pakistan was assessing their potential impact.

“The matter is being carefully evaluated and monitored in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce,” he said, adding that the situation called for dialogue and sustained diplomatic engagement.