Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia sealed a historic defense pact on Friday, signing an agreement "intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression."
The so-called "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement" between the three Sunni Muslim-majority states is meant to increase cooperation during regional uncertainty and threats from the Iran war.
The agreement was signed in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The alliance has been likened to a NATO-style alliance and on Friday, the Pakistani foreign ministry said that an attack on any member would be regarded as an attack on all.
But experts and analysts have been quick to point out that the deal is unlikely to work that way — at least at first.
