Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign defence pact

What the report says

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement, according to BBC World News, with Pakistan’s foreign ministry saying that an attack on any one of the three would be treated as an attack on all. The announcement came after a meeting in Mecca involving Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The agreement appears to deepen security cooperation among the three states at a time of heightened regional tension. BBC reported that the countries have been seeking closer defence ties as conflict involving the US and Iran has affected Saudi Arabia and disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

The report also placed the pact in a wider Middle East context. BBC noted that Iran and aligned groups have launched attacks on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, while Yemen’s Houthi movement has targeted Saudi airports, oil facilities and ships in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has responded with strikes on Houthi positions and by joining efforts to protect maritime traffic.

BBC said Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had already announced a bilateral defence pact last year. The latest three-way agreement signals a further formalisation of security commitments, though the article said more details were still expected.