Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Convene for Historic First Defence Pact Committee Meeting in Istanbul

Turkish, Saudi Arabian and Pakistani officials gathered in Istanbul on Monday for their inaugural committee meeting under a newly signed joint defence accord. The high-level gathering drew foreign and defence ministers, alongside senior army officials, from all three participating nations.

The close allies of the US had previously signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 with the aim of deepening military and defence cooperation. Under the terms of the accord, any armed attack against a single member state will be treated as an assault on all three, mirroring the collective defence mechanism outlined in Nato's Article 5.

Following the initial signing, the nations announced plans to create formal political and military structures to coordinate their security and defence strategies in accordance with the pact. Prince Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi Defence Minister, stated on X that his nation used the Istanbul meeting to reaffirm its dedication to advancing the agreement's various initiatives, thereby enhancing joint political and defence integration while bolstering regional security and stability.

The pact's establishment coincides with ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving the Iran war. This broader instability has involved sporadic Iranian missile strikes targeting Gulf states, heightening security anxieties among regional powers. On Monday, the UAE issued a strong condemnation of an Iranian attack within its borders, characterizing the event as a dangerous escalation that posed a direct threat to the safety of both citizens and residents. This development followed a statement from Jordan confirming the interception of eight missiles after Iran claimed responsibility for targeting US bases located in the kingdom in retaliation for overnight American strikes near Larak Island, situated just off the Strait of Hormuz.

Hakan Fidan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, noted following the Istanbul discussions that officials are actively developing a roadmap to facilitate the potential future accession of additional countries to the joint pact. Earlier this month, Egypt indicated that it must carefully evaluate relevant legal and constitutional factors prior to making a final determination on whether to join the defence agreement.