Ex-General: Mecca Pact Useless Without Iran

A significant defense pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan in Mecca last week is facing criticism for a critical omission: Iran. Former commander of Pakistan's Army Frontier Corps, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Tariq Khan, argues that any regional security framework excluding Iran is merely cosmetic and will lack effectiveness.

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Any regional security framework or architecture that does not include Iran will only be cosmetic.

Khan told Al Jazeera that Iran's non-inclusion represents a "serious weakness" in the "Makkah Joint Defence Agreement." He suggested the pact might be an effort to address the security vacuum created by the United States' changing role in the region, questioning if Washington is seeking autonomous regional entities as it prepares for troop withdrawal. The absence of Iran, a major military power, creates a "real strategic contradiction" and raises questions about the agreement's viability.

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The non-inclusion of Iran appears to be a serious weakness.

Despite these concerns, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar recently spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, by phone. Tasnim News Agency reported they exchanged views on regional and international developments, focusing on efforts to promote peace and stability. Dar reportedly briefed Araghchi on the key aspects of the Mecca pact.

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The non-inclusion of Iran, one of the major military powers in the region, creates a real strategic contradiction. This raises questions about the viability of the deal.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan indicated that Egypt could potentially join the defense agreement. Fidan stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan envisions expanding the pact's scope to include other regional nations. He emphasized that the agreement, which considers an attack on one signatory as an attack on all, is purely defensive and lacks expansionist ambitions. "Our president's vision is for this initiative not to be limited to three countries, but to continue to develop and, if necessary, embrace all countries under this cooperation umbrella," Fidan said.

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Our president's vision is for this initiative not to be limited to three countries, but to continue to develop and, if necessary, embrace all countries under this cooperation umbrella.