Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have signed a joint defence pact aimed at strengthening regional security in the shadow of conflicts across the Middle East.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The agreement reflects the three states' commitment to “further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future”, a Pakistan Defence Ministry representative said.
The agreement also stipulates that an attack on one state is an attack on all.
Saudi Arabia has faced attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels and Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Pakistan has been mediating between the US and Iran to reach a comprehensive ceasefire, after the regional war resulted in Tehran closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on its Gulf neighbours.
While Turkey and Pakistan, on the fringes of the Middle East, have avoided significant direct attacks, both are anxious to calm conflicts that threaten their own security and economies.
"For Turkey, [the agreement] creates significant opportunities to deepen its defence-industrial footprint through joint production, technology partnerships, procurement and greater military interoperability," said Burcu Ozcelik, a researcher on Middle East security at the Royal United Services Institute think tank.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a defence agreement, but the three countries together represent a stronger alliance. Saudi Arabia is a major oil exporter, Turkey is a member of Nato and Pakistan is a nuclear-armed power.
The statement did not give specifics on the commitments each had accepted and it was not clear how far their agreement would bind them to any particular military action in each other's defence. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said the agreement was not aimed at any specific country.
The three nations share concerns about the increasingly aggressive military stances of both Israel and revolutionary Iran, as their longtime US ally struggles to contain regional upheaval that has caused a global energy crisis.
The pact was signed on Friday, the most sacred day of the week for Muslims, in Islam's holiest city, Makkah.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan welcomed the "milestone" agreement which he said aims to "unify efforts to confront the challenges and threats" in the region.
The agreement is "an embodiment of the shared political will of the three countries" for a secure and stable Middle East, he said. He said it should "positively reflect on the region as a whole, and pave the way for a secure future in which opportunities for development and prosperity are enhanced".
