Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign defence pact, eye future expansion to include Egypt and other Gulf states.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan closed formal negotiations in Mecca on Friday, signing the Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement. The pact includes a provision similar to NATO’s “collective defence”, meaning an attack on any one member is treated as an attack on all three. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told the state news agency Anadolu that the alliance should not stay limited to three countries. He said, “Under our president’s vision, we should not remain limited to three countries. We should grow and, if necessary, bring all countries under this umbrella.” Fidan identified Egypt as a “natural partner” and said he expects Cairo to join once “technical issues” are ironed out. He added, “I believe that at the next stage, Egypt will also be among us in the alliance. We already act towards one another as if we were alliance members.” Analysts highlight that Egypt’s decision will depend on how it weighs potential benefits against diplomatic complications. The country would need to confirm that the treaty does not obligate it to defend opponents of Israel or side with either Ankara or Riyadh in regional disputes. Other Gulf states are also being considered. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates have expressed varying degrees of interest. Experts have singled out Qatar and Kuwait as the most likely next candidates because they share close ties with the three signatories and seek additional security assurances after recent regional incidents. The pact’s scope remains flexible. Turkish and Saudi officials say the agreement will not replace other alliances, nor does it target any single country such as Iran. The exact details of support mechanisms and operational protocols are still under discussion among the partners. The broader goal, according to the signatories, is to strengthen collective security and deterrence in the region through a formal framework that can be expanded over time.