Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have signed a Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to strengthen their collective security.
The deal 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 spokesperson said.
The agreement also stipulates that an attack on one state is an attack on all.
Saudi Arabia has been under attack by Yemen's Houthis in the south and Iran-backed militias in Iraq in the north. Pakistan has been mediating between the US and Iran to reach a comprehensive ceasefire agreement months, after the US-Israeli war on Iran resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf neighbours.
"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 think tank Rusi.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a defence agreement. But the three countries together represent a stronger alliance. Saudi Arabia is a major global oil exporter, Turkey is a member of Nato and Pakistan is a nuclear-armed power.
The pact was signed on Friday, the most sacred day of the week for Muslims, in Islam's holiest city, Makkah.
