Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey open defense pact to regional nations

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, recently signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, is open to any nation in the region committed to its core principles. Dar clarified the pact's scope through a statement on X, emphasizing mutual respect and peaceful resolution of differences.

“

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement remains open to any country in the region willing to defend its fundamental principles and resolve differences through mutual respect, cooperation, and peaceful means.

The agreement establishes a collective security framework, stipulating that an armed attack against one signatory will be viewed as an attack against all. This provision aligns with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the right to individual or collective self-defense.

Dar stressed that the trilateral pact is not intended to target any particular country. Instead, it represents the culmination of years of discussions aimed at confronting shared regional security challenges. He further noted that the agreement does not supersede any existing bilateral or multilateral commitments.

“

any external armed attack against any of the three countries will be considered as an attack against all.

This clarification follows similar remarks from Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who also stated the pact is not directed against Iran. The alliance's secretariat will be based in Saudi Arabia, facilitating coordination on defense industry projects and joint military exercises among the three nations. Fidan expressed optimism that other countries, such as Egypt, might eventually join the initiative.

“

this trilateral agreement is not directed against any country.