Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have formally established a mutual defence agreement that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described as technically equivalent to NATO's Article 5, emphasizing that the accord is not aimed at Iran.
The "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement," signed on Friday, unites three Sunni Muslim allies concerned by regional instability, particularly threats emanating from Iran. The pact stipulates that an armed attack against any of the signatory nations will be considered an attack on all, aiming to bolster collective deterrence against aggression.
Minister Fidan clarified that the alliance's purpose is to provide a general pledge of security support among the three members, rather than to target any specific country. He added that the specific form and extent of support in the event of an attack would be determined through consultations among the allies.
President Tayyip Erdogan envisions the alliance expanding, with Egypt identified as a potential future member, pending the resolution of certain technical matters. This initiative represents a modest beginning for a regional security framework, with plans to establish a ministerial committee and a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia, mirroring structures within NATO.
Turkey, possessing NATO's second-largest military, has indicated that the pact is open to other regional countries and is not intended to supplant existing alliances. The agreement follows recent efforts by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt to form a group aimed at addressing regional issues, including the conflict with Iran.
Furthermore, Minister Fidan stated that Turkey believes it should participate in any international coalition established to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks, citing Ankara's direct interest in maritime security.
