Ishaq Dar Briefs Canada on Makkah Joint Defense Pact With Saudi Arabia and Türkiye

Turkiye wants to expand its newly formed defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to include more countries, says Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Under our president’s vision, we should not remain limited to three countries. We should grow and, if necessary, bring all countries under this umbrella,” Fidan told state news agency Anadolu, according to a report published on Saturday. Recommended Stories list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Saudi-Pakistan-Turkiye pact: A new shield or strategic signal? - list 2 of 4Will Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye alliance actually create a new regional order? - list 3 of 4Turkiye says Mecca defence pact not aimed at Iran - list 4 of 4Will Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye defence pact change US strategy? Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Friday signed the Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement, in what analysts say could be a step towards a new security architecture in the region. So who could join the pact next, and what would an expanded alliance mean for regional security? What does the pact do? The Mecca defence pact builds on a previous agreement reached between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan a year ago. Regional officials have suggested that the pact could eventually expand to include other countries, strengthening its role as a mechanism for collective security and deterrence. The pact’s central feature is a NATO-like stipulation that an attack on any one of the three states would be treated as an attack on all of them although the details have yet to be fleshed out. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the allies will decide through consultations what degree, form and format of support they would ask for in the event of an attack but no country would be considered a threat as long as a member state is not attacked. Turkish and Saudi officials have stressed that the pact is not meant to supplant any other strategic alliances or relationships while Turkiye, which is a member of NATO, has said the agreement does not target any country, including Iran. Which countries could join next? Egypt is the only country whose potential membership has been publicly raised by an official from one of the pact’s signatory countries. Fidan described Egypt as a “natural partner” and said he expects Cairo to formally join once “technical issues” are ironed out. “I believe that at the next stage, Egypt will also be among us in the alliance,” Fidan said. “We already act towards one another as if we were alliance members.” Ali Bakir, professor of international relations, security and defence at Qatar University, said Egypt’s inclusion would “significantly increase the pact’s political weight, regional influence and operational effectiveness” if it materialises. What might stand in the way of Egypt’s membership? Egypt already has a solid working relationship with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, with which it is part of a group called the R4, which consults on regional issues. Egypt has also recently developed stronger military ties with Turkiye despite previous tensions over the Egyptian military’s 2013 overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, the conflict in Libya and the discovery of gasfields in the Eastern Mediterranean. But analysts said Cairo may be wary of the potential military obligations that could come with a binding defence treaty with states whose interests do not always align with its own as well as the implications for its existing peace treaties. “Egypt may join only if the language protects its aid relationship with Washington, doesn’t undermine existing alliances and peace treaties, and maintains its own freedom to decide when and where it fights,” Karim Elgendy, associate fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme, told Al Jazeera. “If the pact stays a political framework with room to calibrate each response, Cairo can live with it and may eventually sign. If it hardens into an obligation that could pull Egyptian forces into someone else’s war, the answer is likely to be negative,” Elgendy said. Technical issues holding Egypt back could be both “legal and operational”, Elgendy added. “On the legal side, Egypt needs to know exactly what it is committing to defend, and it will want assurances so that a signature never reads as a commitment against Israel or as taking Ankara’s side in Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said. For Bakir, Cairo’s decision will come down to how it weighs the benefits of membership against the diplomatic complications. Egypt’s decision on whether to join the pact will hinge on the level of “strategic value” it believes it brings as well as its ability to “manage relations with countries whose interests” contrast with or even “actively oppose” the alliance, he said. Ahmed Aboudouh, an associate fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme, told Al Jazeera that while Egypt broadly shares the trilateral pact’s security concerns, it “does not share its underpinning threat perception” and may be resistant to “security commitments”. “Cairo’s preference is to be part of overlapping regional security arrangements that are narrow in scope and are issue-related … rather than being entangled in defence commitments with elevated risks/cost,” Aboudouh said. He added that Egypt may still opt to join the pact in the future but it would be a “complex decision”. Which other countries could join? Several officials have suggested other Gulf countries could eventually join the alliance. In a post on X, former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani expressed hope that all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) would “take the initiative to join” the pact. In addition to Saudi Arabia, the GCC includes Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Fidan also spoke about the alliance bringing in more regional countries, saying some nations, which he did not name, had already expressed interest. “Under our president’s vision, we should not remain limited to three countries. We should grow and, if necessary, bring all countries under this umbrella,” Fidan said. Among the Gulf states, Elgendy said, “the names to watch first are Qatar and Kuwait.” Both countries are “close to all three signatories” and “have the strongest motive to buy extra insurance” after feeling “exposed” during the United States-Israel war on Iran and by Israel’s strike on Doha in September, he said. Bakir similarly identified Qatar as the “most natural” Gulf state to opt in with Kuwait another possible candidate. He also said Azerbaijan, Syria and Jordan could also join “relatively quickly”. Elgendy expressed scepticism about the pact transforming into a broader bloc. “This looks like a coalition of the willing that will grow on a case-by-case basis, shaped by each capital’s own risk calculus,” he said.

Pakistan's top diplomat says Mecca defense pact 'purely' defensive in nature, remains open to other regional countries Trilateral defense agreement was signed in the holy city on Friday by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye Aamir Latif 09 August 2026•Update: 09 August 2026 ISLAMABAD Pakistan's top diplomat on Sunday said that the trilateral Mecca defense agreement, signed last week by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, is "purely" defensive in nature and not targeted against any country. In a statement posted on US social media company X, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the sole purpose of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is to further strengthen joint ongoing efforts towards peace, stability, and prosperity in the wider region. The agreement, signed by the three countries on Friday in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, treats an attack on any one of the countries as an attack on all three. Dar said the defense pact remains open to any country in the region willing to uphold its fundamental principles and resolve differences through "mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means." He reiterated that according to the accord, any external armed attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all, consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The pact, he added, does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries, or with other countries or organizations. The Mecca accord “is the culmination of years of discussions and coordination, with a common desire to strengthen strategic cooperation in addressing multifarious peace and security challenges and advancing regional peace, stability and prosperity," Dar added. The pact is consistent with the fundamental pillars of Pakistan’s foreign policy, and Islamabad looks forward to continuing to work closely with all brotherly countries in the region towards lasting peace and stability, he said. "We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples," said Dar.

- Dar says trilateral accord not directed against any country, consistent with Pakistan’s foreign policy - Pact remains open to regional states willing to uphold its principles, resolve differences peacefully ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday its newly signed joint defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was purely defensive and consistent with Islamabad’s foreign policy as he sought to clarify its scope amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region. The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed by the leaders of the three countries in Saudi Arabia on Friday, stipulates that an armed attack on one will be considered an attack on all. It also leaves the door open for other regional states to join the accord. “The Makkah Accord is purely defensive in nature,” Dar said in a post on X. “It is not targeted against any country and its sole purpose is to further strengthen our ongoing efforts toward peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region.” He said the accord was the culmination of years of discussions and coordination between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation in dealing with peace and security challenges. He added that the new trilateral arrangement would not supersede the countries’ other defense commitments. “The Makkah Accord does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries, or with other countries or organizations.” Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a bilateral Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement signed in September 2025, while Türkiye is a member of NATO. The deputy prime minister noted the agreement’s joint defense provision in case of any external armed attack was consistent with the right to individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday the provision was technically similar to NATO’s Article 5 collective-defense clause and that the agreement did not identify any particular country as a common threat. He also said he expected Egypt eventually to join the alliance. Dar also noted the Makkah Accord remained open to any country in the region willing to uphold its fundamental principles and resolve differences through mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means. “The Makkah Accord is consistent with the fundamental pillars of our foreign policy,” Dar said. “Pakistan looks forward to continuing to work closely with all brotherly countries in the region toward lasting peace and stability.” “We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples,” he added. The pact was signed against the backdrop of the US-Iran war, which has engulfed parts of the Middle East and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea.

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday briefed his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on Pakistan’s newly signed joint defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, as the two discussed regional security in the Middle East amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict. The conversation came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Kingdom to sign the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, under which an attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all. “DPM/FM shared with FM Anand the essence of the Agreement and the joint resolve of the three countries to contribute to regional peace, stability and security,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a post on X. “They also discussed the evolving situation in the US-Iran context,” it added. The foreign office said Dar and Anand exchanged views on the broader regional situation and that the Pakistani deputy prime minister also raised developments in occupied East Jerusalem, including a recent ministerial meeting on Jerusalem held in Jordan. Anand visited Islamabad last month as Pakistan and Canada sought to deepen bilateral engagement, with the two countries agreeing to strengthen cooperation in areas including trade and investment. Dar thanked the Canadian foreign minister for her visit, as both ministers welcomed their frequent exchanges and agreed to remain closely engaged on issues of shared interest, according to the statement. The latest conversation came shortly after Dar sought to clarify the scope of the Makkah agreement amid discussion over the implications of the new collective-defense arrangement. “The Makkah Accord is purely defensive in nature,” he said in a post on X. “It is not targeted against any country and its sole purpose is to further strengthen our ongoing efforts toward peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region.” Dar said the agreement did not abrogate or replace existing bilateral or multilateral agreements involving the three countries or their agreements with other states and organizations. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a bilateral Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement signed in September 2025, while Türkiye is a member of NATO. The Makkah Accord also remains open to other countries in the region willing to uphold its fundamental principles and resolve differences through mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means. Separately, Kuwait’s state news agency said on Monday that Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah received a telephone call from Dar in which they discussed the regional situation. Pakistan’s foreign office has yet to issue a statement on the phone call or the details of the conversation. The Makkah Accord was signed amid the US-Iran conflict, which has engulfed parts of the Middle East and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea.

Egypt and the regional defense pact driven by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan could become one of the major strategic novelties in the Middle East. The government in Cairo has not yet signed the agreement, but Turkey regards Egypt as a natural partner and expects it to join at a later stage, once certain technical aspects are resolved. The possibility was raised by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan after the signing of the so-called Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed on Friday, August 7, by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The pact establishes a principle of collective defense: an armed attack against any of its members will be considered an aggression against all. Fidan argued that, from a technical standpoint, the mechanism is comparable to Article 5 of NATO, though he stressed that the new regional framework begins with only three countries and will progressively develop its institutional mechanisms. The Turkish foreign minister also insisted that the alliance “is not aimed at Iran” or at any other country. According to him, no state will be considered a threat as long as it does not attack any of the agreement’s members.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said this Saturday (08.08.2026) that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed yesterday by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, is not directed against Iran, while it could potentially include Egypt in the future. "No country that does not attack us will be our target," Fidan told the Turkish official news agency Anadolu, clarifying that the Islamic Republic "is not the target of this organization." He also noted that efforts to finalize the pact had been underway for two years and eight months — i.e., well before the outbreak of the war between Israel, the United States and Iran. Like Article 5 of the NATO treaty, the trilateral agreement is a mutual defense pact whereby an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, according to the Turkish minister, similar to Article 5 of the NATO treaty. Turkey, which has the second-largest army in the Atlantic Alliance, has indicated that the new pact was open to the inclusion of other regional countries and that it did not intend to replace any existing alliance. "NATO is a gigantic military alliance composed of 32 countries. We have started here as three nations and must take very humble but concrete steps," he said. He also indicated that, as part of the alliance, a Ministers’ Committee would be established, similar to the one in NATO, and a General Secretariat based in Saudi Arabia. Open to other nations. "The vision of our president is not to limit ourselves to three countries, but to grow and bring together all the nations (of the region) under this same roof," he stated, adding that Egypt could join the pact once certain technical issues are resolved. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt had already held meetings and formed the so-called "Group R4" in recent months. Through this initiative, the four states seek to coordinate more closely in the face of regional conflicts, such as the war led by the United States and Israel against Iran. Fidan also stressed today that Turkey should participate in an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea from attacks by Houthi militias. The security of sea routes is of interest to the Ankara government, he said.

MADRID, Aug 9. (EUROPA PRESS) - Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, has asserted that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, establishes a collective defense commitment that is technically equivalent to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, and he stressed that the initiative is not directed against any country, including Iran. In remarks to the Turkish newspaper Milliyet, Fidan defended that the pact constitutes a step toward a regional security architecture that is more autonomous and explained that its negotiation stretched over two years and eight months with various partners and Middle Eastern countries. "It was a truly historic day. In our foreign policy, which we have been advancing under the leadership of our president (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan), there are some fundamental pillars we have pursued for many years. We witnessed an event related to achieving one of them," he said. The head of Turkish diplomacy explained that Ankara’s aim is to strengthen regional structures capable of ensuring security and economic development without relying exclusively on external powers. "It is important to increase our regional autonomy. Because external hegemonic powers do not solve the region’s problems; they make them even worse, and the cost is very high. The countries of the region need to move toward more solid institutional structures that guarantee their own security, economic stability, development, and prosperity," he stated. A NATO-inspired MECHANISM Fidan pointed out that the agreement represents a shift from a relationship mainly based on political understandings to an institutionalized defense mechanism. In his view, the collective defense commitment contemplated in the document has a technical equivalence with Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. "The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is technically equivalent to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty on collective defense. That is why a security pact is established. That is why other countries decide to join an alliance: to benefit from mutual support in terms of protection," the Turkish minister explained. The minister added that the agreement obliges its members to provide mutual support in the face of a threat, although the specific nature of the assistance will depend on the circumstances and on the decisions that the bodies adopt to apply the pact. To this end, the text contemplates the creation of a political and military committee made up of the foreign ministers and defense ministers and the chiefs of staff of the member countries, as well as a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia. "We will have a ministerial committee as its structure. Just like in NATO, there is a political-military committee composed of foreign ministers, defense ministers, and the chairman of the joint chiefs. This political-military committee is responsible for concretizing the vision proposed by the leaders of this alliance and implementing it. There will be a general secretariat, an organization that will implement the vision of this committee," he detailed to the same media. In this regard, Fidan reiterated that the purpose of the pact is to institutionalize cooperation to prevent countries from having to improvise a response in the face of a potential crisis. "Countries will not be in a position to say 'what would we do together?' when they find themselves in difficult situations. What we must always emphasize, in foreign policy or in any other matter, is that success should not be left to chance; it must be institutionalized. It must be sustainable," he stated. Fidan rules out that Iran is an objective The Turkish foreign minister also rejected that the agreement aims to confront Iran and stressed that states not attacking the signing countries will not be considered enemies. "As I have said, there is currently no written agreement or signature on a common threat. We are committed to addressing each other’s security closely. This is a starting point," he insisted. Fidan also highlighted that Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan do not pursue expansionist policies and that the defensive nature of the pact prevents it from being used to launch offensive actions against third countries. "When analyzing the foreign policy stances of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, it is evident that they are not expansionist countries. They are countries concerned with their own borders, their own problems, and their development, and, as far as possible, they wish to contribute positively to their environment through good relations and neighborhood ties," he argued. In this sense, the Turkish foreign minister summarized Ankara’s position by stating that no state that does not attack the signing countries constitutes an objective. "When we join these countries, we naturally become a defensive organization. It is not a matter of a 'let’s go on the offensive and do this or that together' approach. Therefore, as long as the region is not attacked, whether from within or from outside, this alliance cannot have problems with any country. But, of course, this power configuration we have created will contribute constructively to regional stability," he added. Greater regional reach of the agreement The minister also indicated that Egypt could later join the alliance, after resolving some technical issues, since Cairo already maintains a close relationship with the three countries and its eventual adhesion would strengthen the regional dimension of the initiative. "Egypt is already our natural partner in all matters, and I believe that in the next stage it will also be part of the alliance. We already act as if we were members of the alliance; that is how our relations with all the countries are. There are some technical problems. Once resolved, there is no reason why Egypt cannot join. But the regional quartet remains important. Egypt is an important country, and Pakistan and Saudi Arabia do not disagree on this," he clarified. Fidan clarified, however, that the three current signatories will act as the founding core and that other countries may join with its approval. "In our president’s (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) vision, we should not limit ourselves to three countries; we should expand even further," he explained. In fact, the Turkish president has publicly defended opening the pact to other states, again stressing that the pact "is not directed against any country and is open to the participation of all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity, and stability in the region." In this line, Fidan presented the agreement as part of a broader strategy to build a regional security and economic cooperation architecture in the Middle East and other areas close to Turkey. "This is the most important step that will bring lasting stability to the region. This region has been associated with instability for the last 100 years, since the Ottoman withdrawal, one way or another. But now the region’s countries are coming together, taking responsibility for their actions and taking important steps," he predicted, before stating that "there is broad support for this initiative, especially in the Islamic world."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara expects Egypt to join the Mecca Agreement on collective defense, which was signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan on Friday, August 7, in the upcoming phase. He stressed that Cairo is a natural partner, while also revealing that other countries have expressed interest in joining the new defense umbrella, though he did not name them. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Fidan noted that some technical issues still need to be finalized before Egypt joins, adding: I believe that in the next phase Egypt will be among us as an alliance. He continued that completing these arrangements would, from Ankara’s point of view, remove obstacles to Cairo’s participation in an agreement that the founding states are moving to open to new members. The Turkish foreign minister affirmed that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision is not to limit the agreement to the three signatories, explaining that expanding membership requires an agreed mechanism among Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, while noting that some countries that expressed interest in joining asked not to be named at this stage. The Mecca Agreement for Collective Defense was signed on Friday at a summit bringing together Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The agreement states that any armed attack on any of the three states is considered an attack on all, alongside developing defense cooperation and strengthening deterrence and military coordination among the parties. According to Turkish clarifications, the principle of collective defense does not imply automatic military intervention in all cases; the attacked state would have to request assistance, and forms of support can range from sharing intelligence and logistical backing to providing military support or deploying units, depending on the nature of the threat. The arrangements also include holding regular meetings of foreign and defense ministers and army chiefs, and establishing a permanent secretariat headquartered in Saudi Arabia. Fidan stressed that the agreement does not designate Iran or any other country as a common enemy, adding that any country that does not attack us will not be our target. He also stated that the agreement does not conflict with Turkey’s obligations within NATO, citing existing defensive arrangements that connect NATO members with non-member states. The trilateral agreement extends a prior defense pathway between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which signed in September 2025 a joint strategic defense agreement that also considered any attack on either party an attack on the other, before cooperation expanded this August to a three-way framework involving Turkey. Egypt was not distant from the coordination path that preceded the agreement, having participated in a series of consultative meetings with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan in recent months, and hosting Cairo on June 21 for the fourth meeting of foreign ministers of the four countries, where participants affirmed continued consultation and coordination on regional developments and support for security, peace, and stability. Earlier to the Cairo meeting, other meetings within the Quad mechanism took place, including a meeting in Islamabad in March and another in Antalya in April, with coordination continuing up to the days before the Mecca signing, discussing regional conflicts, maritime security, and de-escalation paths, though Egypt’s participation at the time did not constitute a collective defense commitment. Egyptian-Turkish relations have recently expanded in security and defense cooperation, with the two countries moving to strengthen collaboration in the defense industries and develop joint capabilities, alongside improving political ties and widening coordination channels between Cairo and Ankara on multiple regional files. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan emphasize that the agreement is defensive in nature and aims to enhance security, stability, and coordination among participating states, while Ankara’s announcement that other countries are interested in joining suggests that the next phase may see talks on expanding membership and the mechanisms for joining new parties.

- i24NEWS - Analyses and Opinions - Egypt outside the “Makkah Agreement”… a temporary absence or a strategic choice? Egypt outside the “Makkah Agreement”… a temporary absence or a strategic choice? Cairo participated in the Quadrilateral Mechanism with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, but did not join the joint defense pact The signing of the “Makkah Defence Agreement” by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised questions about Egypt’s stance on the new regional security arrangements, especially since Cairo had until recently been part of a quadrilateral framework that included the three countries, and participated in a series of consultations on regional security and developments related to the US–Iran war. The agreement, which was signed by the three, states that any armed attack on any of the three is considered an attack on all of them, in a formulation approaching the collective defense principle laid out in Article 5 of NATO, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Although the agreement was presented as defensive and not aimed at any one country, it comes amid a broad regional escalation, Iranian attacks that targeted Gulf states, and growing debate about the region’s ability to build independent security arrangements in light of changes in the US role in the Middle East. From the Quadrilateral Mechanism to the trilateral agreement Egypt’s name was strongly present in the consultations that preceded the agreement. In March, Egyptian, Saudi, Turkish, and Pakistani foreign ministers met in Riyadh within the quadrilateral mechanism aiming to enhance coordination on regional developments. Subsequent meetings followed in Islamabad and Cairo, along with intensive bilateral contacts among the four countries. This opened the door to estimates about the mechanism evolving into a broader security arrangement, and some analyses even suggested it could form the nucleus of a regional defense alliance. But the outcome was different: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan moved to sign a trilateral defense pact, while Egypt remained outside. That does not necessarily mean Cairo was permanently excluded. Fidan affirmed that the pact could be expanded, and noted the possibility of other countries joining, including Egypt, in the future. Why Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan? Each party to the agreement has different motives, though their interests in strengthening deterrence and regional security intersect. For Saudi Arabia, the agreement comes at a stage when the Kingdom is reassessing its security framework after ballistic missile and drone attacks on the region, amid Gulf and Red Sea security turmoil. It also gives Riyadh an additional framework to diversify its defense partnerships and avoid reliance on a single security umbrella. As for Turkey, Ankara gains an opportunity to bolster its presence as a major military and defense-industrial power in the region. Turkey already has close military ties with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and the agreement provides a platform to expand cooperation in defense, technology, and the defense industries. For Pakistan, the issue is also tied to its military and historical ties with Saudi Arabia, in addition to economic and strategic interests with Ankara and Riyadh. Islamabad has a military presence in Saudi Arabia, while the agreement presents an opportunity to expand defense cooperation and open new avenues for its defense industries. Egypt does not see the threats in the same way Here lies one of the most important points of difference between Cairo and its partners in the quadrilateral mechanism. Threat perceptions that shape national security priorities are not identical among the four states. Pakistan views India as the main strategic challenge, while Saudi Arabia focuses more on threats related to Iran, missiles, drones, and Gulf and Red Sea security. Turkey, meanwhile, deals with a broader threat map, including Syria, Iraq, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Caucasus, in addition to its NATO membership obligations. In the Egyptian case, priorities appear different. Security in Gaza and Sinai, the border with Libya, the war in Sudan, the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, Suez Canal security, and the Nile water issue with Ethiopia are all files at the heart of Egypt’s security calculus. Therefore, signing onto a collective defense treaty could theoretically commit Cairo to military action in crises that do not fall within its direct threat circle. India and Iran… two complex equations before Cairo Egypt faces another dilemma related to relations with parties whose interests may conflict with those of a member of the agreement. India, for example, has developed advanced strategic relations with Egypt in economic, military, and political fields in recent years. In turn, India is a major regional rival of Pakistan. This presents a strategic question for Cairo: what would happen if a future India–Pakistan confrontation were to erupt? Could Egypt find itself bound by a political or military commitment to Islamabad under a defense pact? The equation is even more complex with Iran. The new pact comes in an security environment in which Iran is viewed as one of the main threats by Saudi Arabia, even though the signatories stress that the pact is not directed against any one country. Egypt, despite tensions in its relations with Tehran, has maintained channels of communication and political interests that do not appear willing to turn them into a direct confrontation. Cairo traditionally seeks to preserve its mediation role in regional crises, not to become a party to rival military axes. Egypt’s policy: diversified partnerships without permanent commitments Cairo has preferred a policy in recent years based on diversification of partnerships rather than tying itself to a single military alliance. Egypt maintains close military and strategic cooperation with the United States, develops its defense relations with European countries such as France, Germany, and Italy, while expanding cooperation with China, India, and Turkey, and maintains strong ties with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. This policy gives Cairo a wide margin for maneuver. It can cooperate with different parties on specific files without being automatically obliged to enter a military confrontation alongside a party against another. From this perspective, some observers see joining a defense pact as fundamentally different from military cooperation or political coordination. Membership in a binding alliance could constrain Egypt’s freedom of decision and force Cairo to recalibrate in case of a conflict between two pact members and a country with which Egypt has strategic ties. Unresolved questions in the agreement There is also a practical aspect that may explain Cairo’s caution: the implementation details of the pact. The political statement that an attack on a member state is an attack on all does not necessarily answer all questions about how this obligation would be implemented. Who decides when an attack warrants activating collective defense? Does military intervention require the consent of all members? What kind of assistance is each party obligated to provide? Would it necessarily be military, or could it be intelligence, logistical, or political? These questions become even more important for Egypt, which has a large army and wide security interests, but also seeks to avoid commitments that would force it to act outside its immediate priorities. Has the door been closed on Egypt? So far, the answer does not seem to be yes. The trilateral agreement does not present itself as a closed framework; Turkish leadership has confirmed that the door is open to other countries wishing to join. Turkish Foreign Minister also explicitly mentioned Egypt as a country that could join the arrangement at a later stage. Therefore, Cairo’s absence from the current agreement may be closer to strategic caution than to a break with the project. Cairo has an interest in following the evolution of the agreement, but may first want to understand its actual limits, decision-making processes, the nature of military commitments, and whether it will become a permanent defense alliance or remain a flexible security coordination framework. Cairo outside the agreement… but not outside the equation Ultimately, Egypt’s absence from the “Makkah Agreement” does not mean removal from regional security equations. Cairo remains a major player in Gaza, the Red Sea, Sudan, and Libya, and maintains relations with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, and the United States. But the most notable message from not joining the trilateral agreement seems linked to Egypt’s desire to preserve maneuver room and independence in security decision-making. While Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan chose to move from political coordination to a shared defense commitment, Cairo has so far chosen to stay at a distance from this form of commitment. Therefore, the key question is no longer whether Egypt is “out” of the agreement, but what conditions might push it to join in the future, and what Cairo would demand in exchange for abandoning its cautious stance and maintaining a neutral position among regional alliances.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Egypt could join the new regional alliance once certain technical issues are resolved, highlighting that Cairo already maintains close ties with Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. He considered that Egypt's eventual accession would strengthen the regional dimension of the initiative. "Egypt is already a natural partner of ours in all matters, and I believe in the next stage it will also be part of the alliance. We already act as if we were members of the alliance; that is how our relations are with all countries. There are some technical problems. Once resolved, there is no reason why Egypt should not join," the foreign minister said. In that sense, he pointed out that even without Cairo's adhesion, the regional quartet remains important. "Egypt is an important country, and neither Pakistan nor Saudi Arabia disagree on that," Fidan said in statements collected by Anadolu Agency. ADVERTISEMENT The minister clarified that the three current signatories will function as the founding core and that other countries may join with their approval. "In our president's (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) vision, we should not limit ourselves to three countries, but should expand even further," Fidan explained. For his part, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan defended opening the pact to other states and stressed that the agreement "is not directed against any country and is open to participation by all brother countries seeking peace, prosperity, and stability in the region." Fidan presented the agreement as part of a broader strategy to build a regional security and economic cooperation architecture in the Middle East and other areas near Turkey. ADVERTISEMENT "This is the most important step that will bring lasting stability to the region. This region has been associated with instability for the last 100 years, since the Ottoman withdrawal, in one form or another. But now, the countries of the region are coming together, taking responsibility for their actions and taking important steps," he said, adding that there is broad support for this initiative. The minister stated that the regional agreement represents progress by moving from mere political understandings to an institutionalized defense mechanism. He said the defense commitment laid out in the text is technically equivalent to Article 5 of NATO. "The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is technically equivalent to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty on collective defense. That is why a security pact is established. That is why other countries decide to join an alliance: to benefit from mutual support in the area of protection," Fidan explained. ADVERTISEMENT The Turkish official clarified that the agreement obliges member countries to provide mutual support in the face of a threat, though the exact modality of assistance will depend on circumstances and the decisions of the pact's governing bodies. The document provides for the creation of a political and military committee composed of the foreign ministers, defense ministers, and chiefs of staff of the member countries, in addition to a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia. "We will have a ministerial committee as a structure. Like NATO, there is a political-military committee composed of foreign ministers, defense ministers, and the chief of staff. This political-military committee is responsible for concretizing the leaders’ vision for this alliance and for carrying it out. There will be a general secretariat, an organization that will implement the vision of this committee," Fidan elaborated. (With information from Europa Press)

What does the Mecca defense pact mean? Pakistan says it is purely defensive Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has described the newly signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as “purely” defensive, saying the pact is not directed against any country and could eventually include other regional states. In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Dar said the agreement’s main purpose was to strengthen cooperation among the three countries in support of peace, stability and prosperity across the region, Anadolu Agency reported. The pact was signed Friday in the Muslim holy city of Mecca by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack against all three. Dar said the agreement remains open to other countries in the region that are willing to uphold its principles and resolve disputes through mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means. He stressed that any external armed attack against one of the three signatories would be considered an attack against all, in line with the right of individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The foreign minister also said the agreement does not replace or cancel existing bilateral or multilateral agreements involving the three countries, other states or international organizations. Dar described the Mecca accord as the result of years of discussions and coordination aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation in response to regional security challenges. He said the agreement was consistent with Pakistan’s foreign policy and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to working with regional partners to promote peaceful solutions to conflicts. “We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples,” Dar said. News.Az By Aysel Mammadzada

Egypt is likely to join the defence deal, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey amid rising tensions between the US and Iran The agreement stipulates “that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all”, according to statements released by the three sides. Dar said in his post the stipulation was consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Pakistan, he said, would continue working with countries across the region towards lasting peace and stability. “The Makkah Accord does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries, or with other countries or organisations,” he wrote. Egypt is likely to join the defence deal, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey amid rising tensions between the US and Iran The agreement stipulates “that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all”, according to statements released by the three sides. Dar said in his post the stipulation was consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Pakistan, he said, would continue working with countries across the region towards lasting peace and stability. “The Makkah Accord does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries, or with other countries or organisations,” he wrote.

Egypt likely to join Makkah pact, says Turkish FM He says that a committee of ministers similar to that within NATO would be formed as part of the alliance A defence pact signed between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is technically the same as NATO's Article 5 mutual defence agreement, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday, adding the accord was not targeting Iran. Fidan also said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan wanted to see the alliance expand, and that Egypt was a potential candidate to join, among others. Speaking to the state-run Anadolu news agency, Fidan said the new alliance was not directed against Iran or any other country, but rather served as a general pledge to support the three allies' security. He added that the allies would decide through consultations what degree, form, and format of support they would ask for in the event of an attack, but that no country would be considered a threat as long as a member state is not attacked. Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army, has said the pact was open to expansion to other regional countries and did not seek to replace any existing alliances. "NATO is a giant military alliance where there are 32 countries. We have started here as three countries and we have to take very humble but concrete steps," he said, adding efforts to finalise the pact had been underway for two years and eight months. He added that a committee of ministers similar to that within NATO would be formed as part of the alliance, as well as a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia, but that operational details would be set at the first committee meeting. "Our president's vision is that we don't remain limited to three countries, that we grow and bring together all (regional) countries under this roof," he said, adding Egypt could potentially join the pact once certain technical matters are resolved. In recent months, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt formed a group to address regional issues, namely the war on Iran. Turkey has said the group - dubbed the R4 - aims to solidify its partnership through concrete mechanisms. Fidan also said Turkey should be involved in an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks because shipping safety concerned Ankara's interests. Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday welcomed the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed his "strong appreciation and support" for the agreement, describing it as an "important strategic step" reflecting the three countries' commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation, according to a statement by the organisation. Taha said the agreement constituted "a fundamental pillar for supporting security and stability in the region and across the Muslim world." He added that it embodied a shared determination to address growing security challenges and strengthen solidarity and constructive partnerships among OIC member states. The OIC chief also praised the efforts and leadership of the three countries that culminated in the signing of what he called a "historic agreement." He expressed hope that the pact would contribute to achieving peace and prosperity in the region and the wider international community. On Friday, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement at a trilateral summit in Makkah, pledging to strengthen collective security, deepen defence cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the summit held at Al-Safa Palace. According to information obtained from Turkish officials, the agreement is a defence-oriented cooperation arrangement that targets no country and is designed to strengthen commitments to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity through burden-sharing and a common security approach. The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries shall be regarded as an attack against them all, the officials added.

Last Thursday, in what at the time seemed out of the blue, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X/Twitter that he had received a phone call from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that they “exchanged views on the current situation in West Asia.” He also wrote, “We reviewed progress on various aspects of the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership which continues to grow from strength to strength.” Modi posted the message in English and Hebrew, and Netanyahu reposted it. Only the next day would the full context become clear. On Friday, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a sweeping mutual defense treaty, dubbed the Mecca Pact because of the city where it was finalized. It is difficult to imagine that the looming pact was not a major focus of the Netanyahu-Modi conversation. While the public only saw the treaty signed on Friday, Jerusalem and New Delhi would almost certainly have been aware that a significant regional realignment was in the works. When the leaders exchanged views “on recent developments in West Asia,” they were addressing one of the largest structural shifts in the region’s security architecture in years. For years, Washington pushed a vision of a US-led regional security architecture integrating Israel with Saudi Arabia and other pragmatic Arab states. But that’s not what transpired in Mecca, and Modi and Netanyahu were surely discussing the ramifications of a very different tripartite alignment. One major ramification Modi alluded to was the “progress on various aspects of the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership.” The announcement in Mecca will certainly add fuel to moving that partnership forward at full speed. That’s the way the world works: actions cause reactions, which in turn spark new arrangements. Pakistan: Mecca Pact contains NATO-style Article 5 clause On Friday, after the signing of this accord – which the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed contains a NATO-style Article 5 clause meaning an attack on one is an attack on all – The Wall Street Journal summarized the moment perfectly: “When a superpower flails about, regional powers begin to make arrangements for themselves.” The superpower here is the US, and the flailing is its execution of the war in Iran. Saudi Arabia, having lost confidence in the American security umbrella alone to provide the protection it feels it needs, is looking elsewhere. That’s a rational calculation, considering the pounding the Gulf states have taken from Iran and its proxies despite – and perhaps, at times, because of – the presence of US bases on their soil, paired with Washington’s waffling over how to respond. What is deeply disappointing from Israel’s perspective is where Riyadh looked for its new partners. By joining up with Turkey and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia chose an architecture that fundamentally complicates Jerusalem’s long-term regional strategy. Saudi-Pakistani defense ties predate new defense pact Pakistan is not a new security partner for the Saudis. The two countries have had close defense ties for decades, and signed another security pact last year. But those arrangements did little to shield Riyadh when it came under attack from either Iran or the Houthis. There is also an internal logic to the Saudis seeking out fellow Sunni states to build a new security architecture. But it nevertheless shatters Jerusalem’s hope that the recent upheaval in the Mideast would shuffle the deck in the region and lead to a clear-cut alliance between Israel and the pragmatic Sunni states. The Saudis had different ideas. They wanted an alliance, but not with Israel. Hence the disappointment. But disappointment is not policy, and that explains the Netanyahu-Modi call. This new trilateral alliance, though ostensibly a bulwark against Iran, is as much a concern for India – Pakistan’s bitter enemy – as it is for Israel. The combination of Saudi money, Turkish defense manufacturing capabilities, and a nuclear-armed Pakistan is causing just as much alarm in New Delhi as it is in Jerusalem. The strongest evidence that this deal dominated the Modi-Netanyahu phone call is what happened immediately afterward. On August 7, Turkish and Pakistani media outlets published reports claiming that India had urgently approached Israel to sign a reciprocal bilateral defense pact to counter the new Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey axis. The rumors grew so intense that India’s Ministry of External Affairs Fact Check unit issued an immediate statement dismissing reports of a new formal pact as “fake news.” Crucially, however, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal explicitly confirmed that New Delhi is “closely following the development” of the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi deal. That is an understatement. India has ample reason to be alarmed by any framework that enhances Pakistan’s military position, especially given Turkey’s history of supplying advanced drones and other military hardware to Islamabad. For Israel and India, moreover, the concerns are not only military; they are economic as well. Saudi Arabia sits at the geographic center of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) – the grand, multi-billion-dollar transit network intended to bind India, the Gulf, and Haifa’s port to Europe. Turkey was explicitly excluded from the original IMEC route and has actively promoted a rival transit project. By drawing Saudi Arabia into a much closer strategic relationship, Ankara potentially gains a new avenue of influence over a country central to the very economic corridor India and Israel have spent years trying to promote. The Mecca Pact also complicates the already difficult path toward Saudi-Israel normalization. By binding itself more closely to Ankara and Islamabad – two capitals fiercely hostile to Jerusalem – Riyadh is entering a strategic framework whose other members would strongly oppose any Saudi move toward the Abraham Accords. That does not give Turkey or Pakistan a formal veto over Saudi policy, but it raises the political and strategic price Riyadh would have to pay for normalization with Israel. And it makes it even less likely that the Saudis will soften their insistence on movement toward Palestinian statehood as a prerequisite for normalization. There is an irony here. Some analysts thought the weakening of Iran would naturally lead to a strengthening of Israel’s ties with the pragmatic Arab states. Instead, Iran’s weakening – and Israel’s demonstration of its own military reach – has apparently led some of those states to now fear Israeli dominance, and this alliance is one way to counter it. But as The Wall Street Journal noted, when superpowers flail, regional powers make other arrangements. The Turks, Pakistanis, and Saudis are not the only wise men in town. Israel, too, will make other arrangements. We have seen this script play out before. When Israel’s once-strategic relationship with Ankara collapsed following the 2003 rise to power of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Jerusalem was forced to readjust. And readjust it did, forging close security and energy ties with Turkey’s historic rivals, Greece and Cyprus, and, to a lesser extent, Bulgaria and Romania. Those ties with Greece and Cyprus are also likely to get a boost from the Mecca Agreement. Athens and Nicosia are as concerned about an expanded Turkish footprint in the eastern Mediterranean as Jerusalem is. And India, faced with a new framework that strengthens its archrival Pakistan and gives Turkey – already a close Pakistani ally – a larger regional role, has its own reasons to draw still closer to Israel. That brings the story back to the seemingly out-of-the-blue Netanyahu-Modi phone call on Thursday. It may have looked at the time like just another diplomatic conversation between two friendly leaders. In retrospect, it looks more like an early glimpse of the counter-alignments that the Mecca Pact may produce.

Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on August 7, amid Iranian missile attacks aimed at Gulf oil-exporting nations. In a joint statement, the three countries said the agreement aims to strengthen deterrence against any act of aggression, and they stipulated that an armed attack against any of the three countries would be considered an attack against all parties. In statements to the state news agency Anadolu, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the new alliance is not directed at Iran or any other country, but represents a shared commitment to support the security of the three allied nations. Foreign Minister Fidan reported that the allied countries will consult with each other to determine the level, form, and method of support that each party will request in the event of an attack. However, no country will be considered a threat until a member state is attacked. According to Turkey, the agreement leaves open the possibility of expansion to other countries in the region and does not aim to replace any existing alliance. “NATO is a huge military alliance with 32 countries. We start here with three countries and we need to take very modest but concrete steps,” Fidan said, adding that efforts to finalize the agreement have been underway for the last 2 years and 8 months. According to the Turkish diplomat, a ministerial committee will be created, similar to the NATO mechanism, within the framework of the alliance, with a secretariat located in Saudi Arabia. However, details about the alliance’s operations will be decided at the committee’s first meeting. “The vision of our president is that we should not limit ourselves to just three countries, but we should develop and bring together all the countries (in the region) under this same roof,” Fidan said, emphasizing that Egypt could join the agreement once some technical issues are resolved. In recent months, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt have formed a group to address regional issues, including the conflict with Iran. Known as the R4, this group seeks to strengthen alliances among the countries through specific cooperation mechanisms. Foreign Minister Fidan also stated that Turkey needs to join an international coalition to protect maritime transit in the Red Sea from attacks by Houthi forces, because maritime security is directly related to Ankara’s interests.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that Egypt may join the Mecca Agreement for Collective Defense signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, once certain technical issues related to the agreement are resolved. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Fidan explained that the agreement, which Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed yesterday in Makkah, involves forming a ministerial committee and a general secretariat to coordinate its work and implement its mechanisms. He indicated that its operating method will be similar in some aspects to the Alliance’s collective defense mechanisms under NATO. The Turkish foreign minister said a ministerial committee will be formed under the Mecca Agreement for Collective Defense, along with a general secretariat responsible for coordinating the agreement’s work and monitoring the implementation of its mechanisms. He noted that the agreement is based on identifying a common threat among the participating states, stressing that Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey are “not expansionist states,” and that any state that does not attack the signatories to the agreement “will not be our target.” Fidan stated that the Mecca Agreement for Collective Defense is technically similar to Article 5 of the NATO Charter, which is founded on the principle of collective defense. Article 5 of the NATO treaty provides that an armed attack against one or more members in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all, placing a duty on member states to assist in facing the attack. The Turkish foreign minister confirmed that Egypt joining the Mecca Agreement remains possible, explaining that this could happen as soon as the technical issues related to its joining the defense pact are resolved. This Turkish disclosure comes after the Mecca Agreement for Collective Defense was signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in Makkah as part of new defensive arrangements between the two countries. Separately, Fidan announced the importance of Turkey’s participation in the multinational naval defense alliance led by Saudi Arabia, stressing that security of navigation in the Red Sea is linked to Turkey’s interests. He said Turkey should participate in the Saudi-led naval alliance as part of efforts to protect navigation and secure sea lanes in the Red Sea.