Turkey says the Mecca defence pact could expand beyond its three founding members
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are building a joint security structure, including a permanent secretariat and defence-industry cooperation
The pact was signed in August with a collective-defence clause, treating an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three
The Mecca Agreement for Joint Defence between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan could expand to include other countries in the region and the wider Muslim world, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said on Thursday.
Speaking at a reception in Ankara marking Saudi Arabia’s National Day, Kurtulmuş said he hoped the agreement would develop on “solid foundations” and become a more effective defence arrangement with the participation of other regional and Islamic countries.
The agreement was signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on August 7. Kurtulmuş said its expansion could strengthen cooperation among countries at a time of growing regional tensions.
Three-Way Defence Pact
The agreement is designed around collective deterrence and defence cooperation among the three countries.
At the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the pact in Istanbul on August 31, the foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs of Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed to further institutionalise their cooperation.
The three countries agreed to establish a secretariat in Saudi Arabia, headed initially by a Pakistani secretary-general for three years. They also agreed to strengthen defence capabilities through defence-industry cooperation, joint technology development and production.
The joint statement said the three countries intended to use the agreement to strengthen collective deterrence while supporting regional efforts towards peace and stability.
Iran And Gulf Tensions
Kurtulmuş also referred to the security situation around the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel had affected the security environment around the Gulf and Hormuz and that developments there had consequences for the global economy. He also referred to risks to international energy and maritime transport.
The remarks come as the three countries seek to establish a formal structure for the defence agreement. The August 31 joint statement said their cooperation would include collective deterrence, defence-industry cooperation and joint technology development.
Possible Expansion
Kurtulmuş said he hoped the agreement would eventually include other countries in the region and across the Muslim world.
The Turkish Parliament speaker also described closer Türkiye-Saudi Arabia cooperation as important for regional stability and said countries in the region should work more closely amid rising tensions.
The current agreement remains a three-country framework. Any expansion would require further participation by additional states, while its existing members continue building the institutional mechanisms agreed in Istanbul.
The next phase of the pact will therefore focus on establishing its secretariat and developing defence and security cooperation between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, while Ankara has indicated that it sees scope for a broader regional role.
