Aug 9, 2026 11:20 AM EDT
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's foreign minister said Sunday a new defense agreement his country signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkey was not directed against any country and remained open to other nations in the region.
The landmark Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was signed on Friday by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the three countries seek to deepen security cooperation amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.
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Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Sunday the agreement was "purely defensive in nature" and that other countries could join if they were willing to uphold its principles and resolve differences through peaceful means, adding the deal reflected a shared desire to strengthen strategic security cooperation.
