Top officials from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan will meet in Istanbul on Monday. The meeting is the first committee session under their new defence accord. The “Mecca Joint Defence Agreement” was signed on August 7. It brings together Sunni Muslim allies of the US who are concerned about the Iran war and regional conflict. Iranian missile fire has hit Gulf oil exporters.
The pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression. It states that an armed attack on any of the three would be seen as an attack on all. This is similar to NATO’s Article 5. Foreign and defence ministers, along with military chiefs, will attend the Istanbul meeting.
The source said “international security issues” will be discussed. Talks will cover enhancing defence capabilities and military interoperability. Deeper cooperation in the defence industry, including joint production, is also on the table. The three nations share concerns about Israel and Iran’s military stances. The US is struggling to contain regional upheaval that has caused a global energy crisis.
Six months after the US and Israel launched war against Iran, negotiations are stalled. The Trump administration has stepped up financial pressure on Iran, calling it an “economic D-Day.” Turkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest military, has said the pact is open to expansion. Egypt is a potential candidate. Ankara added that the pact does not seek to replace existing alliances.
Reference
Reuters, “Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to hold first defence pact meeting, source says,” published August 30, 2026. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/turkey-saudi-arabia-pakistan-hold-first-defence-pact-meeting-source-says-2026-08-30/