Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan sign Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

On August 7, 2026, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the 'Makkah Joint Defence Agreement' at the Al-Safa Palace in Makkah. The signing ceremony, described as the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, involved Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The pact follows approximately one year of consultations and aims to deepen strategic, security, and military cooperation among the three Sunni Muslim nations.

The agreement formally establishes a collective defence framework, explicitly stating that an armed attack against any one of the three member states will be considered an attack against all. Officials emphasized that the pact is strictly defensive in nature and is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against regional aggression. While the agreement does not replace existing international arrangements and remains open to other regional countries, it reflects heightened concerns over ongoing instability in the Middle East, specifically regarding the actions of Iran and the broader security challenges involving Israel and the United States.