Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca pact 'falls short' of a Nato-style defence alliance

A new security pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan in Mecca aims to bolster collective deterrence among the three Muslim-majority nations. However, experts suggest the agreement, dubbed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, falls significantly short of creating an "Islamic Nato."

The pact's statement that an attack on one member will be considered an attack on all mirrors Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's charter. Turkish diplomat Hakan Fidan highlighted this similarity but stressed that the agreement is not intended to target Iran or any other nation, provided its members are not attacked.

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The Mecca pact’s statement that an armed attack on any of the three would be viewed as an attack on all is technically similar to the defence principle outlined in the transatlantic security alliance’s Article 5.

Despite the pact's stated intentions, experts point to diverging strategic interests and limited mutual defense capabilities among the signatories as major challenges. These factors are expected to hinder the alliance's effectiveness.

Meanwhile, Iran has reacted to the pact, viewing it as a response to Israeli ambitions and a reflection of declining regional confidence in U.S. security assurances. The agreement was signed amid ongoing Middle East conflict, sparked by a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran earlier in the year. Tensions remain high, with ongoing disputes between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, further dimming prospects for a swift resolution to the conflict.

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However, he also stressed that the deal was not directed against Iran or any other country – as long as the pact’s member states were not attacked.