Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan Formally Sign Trilateral Mecca Defense Pact

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan formally signed a trilateral defense agreement known as the "Mecca Pact" at Al Safa Palace in Mecca on Friday, August 7, 2026 (16 Mordad 1405). The document was signed by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to Ecoiran, citing Hamshahri Online and the three countries' joint statement, the pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence against hostile acts and expand all aspects of defense cooperation.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Friday the agreement specifies that an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all three. Khabaronline reported that Pakistan's army chief, General Asim Munir, attended the signing. Reuters, citing a Turkish official, reported the pact is purely defensive, is not directed against any specific party, and does not replace other bilateral or multilateral agreements. The signing comes amid ongoing tensions in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz that have weighed on energy and gold markets in recent weeks.