World · Middle East · 20 hrs ago

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan reaffirm Mecca defense pact

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan reaffirm Mecca defense pact

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in August to strengthen collective defense and regional stability.

Their military chiefs met in Riyadh on Sept.

25, and their defense and foreign ministers met on Oct.

5 to reaffirm the agreement.

Türkiye and Pakistan said they would provide agreed forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia, subject to approved arrangements and their national laws.

The pact comes as the Houthis have attacked Saudi Arabia and described their regional actions as part of resistance against Israel and the United States.

The agreement may make that message harder to sustain because Türkiye and Pakistan have both criticized Israeli military operations in Gaza and supported the Palestinian cause.

Pakistan’s ties with Iran may also give it another way to exert influence over the Houthis, though the agreement’s impact is not yet clear.

Sources

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