The foreign and defense ministers of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, alongside military commanders from the three countries, held the inaugural meeting of the joint defense pact known as the “Mecca Pact” in Istanbul on Sunday, August 31.
This meeting marks the first gathering of senior political and military officials from the three nations since the signing of the Mecca Pact and took place amid ongoing military and security tensions in the region.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed the defense agreement in the city of Mecca on Friday, August 7. According to a joint statement by the three countries, any armed attack against a member of the pact will be considered an attack against all members, a principle bearing clear similarities to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized in an interview with the state-run Anadolu Agency on Saturday, August 8, that the alliance was not formed “against the Islamic Republic or any other country,” stating that the pact’s purpose is to provide a general commitment to supporting the security of the three member states.
Concurrently with the inaugural meeting in Istanbul, reports have emerged regarding the potential expansion of the pact’s membership. Previously, the Iraqi government had also announced its interest in joining the agreement.
