Makkah Defence pact aims at regional security not target Iran: Turkish FM

Speaking in Ankara, Fidan said the agreement follows the principle of collective defense reflected in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said the recently signed defense agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey is designed to strengthen regional cooperation and security rather than target Iran.

Speaking in Ankara, Fidan said the agreement follows the principle of collective defense reflected in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), under which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all.

He explained that the new framework will include a ministerial committee and a general secretariat modeled partly on NATO’s structure. The secretariat is expected to be based in Saudi Arabia.

Fidan also indicated that Egypt could potentially join the arrangement once outstanding technical matters are resolved, suggesting that the emerging security framework could expand beyond the three founding countries.

The Turkish foreign minister stressed that the agreement should not be viewed as an alliance directed against any particular country. Instead, he described it as a mechanism intended to promote cooperation, strengthen defense capabilities and contribute to peace and stability across the region.

The agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in Makkah, has attracted considerable attention across the Muslim world amid growing regional security concerns. Several Islamic countries and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have welcomed the initiative.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also said the agreement could enhance regional security while encouraging greater cooperation in the defense industry.

The development marks another step in the long-standing strategic relations among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey and could potentially reshape security cooperation in the wider Middle East and South Asian region.