ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s government has asked parliament to ratify a mutual defense agreement it signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, bringing the country closer to bolstering Saudi defenses as it faces attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Mirroring NATO’s Article 5, the so-called Mecca Joint Defense Agreement commits the sides to view an armed attack against one as an attack on all three.
While Turkey says that it’s considering sending military support to Saudi Arabia, officials have cautioned that the pact is defensive in nature and that no Turkish troops will be deployed to fight in Yemen or attack the Houthis.
Turkish and Pakistani officials have also insisted that the pact isn’t against Iran or any other country, but haven’t said how they would react if attacked by Iran.
Regional countries take responsibility for their security
The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca in August by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with the aim of increasing cooperation and deterrence among the three regional heavyweights at a time of increased uncertainty amid the Iran war.
It brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry. It enables the three to take greater charge for their own security at a time of reduced U.S. involvement.
For Pakistan, the Mecca Agreement builds on existing military ties with Riyadh. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a separate mutual defense agreement in September 2025.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has repeatedly said that the Mecca agreement doesn’t replace existing agreements and is open to other countries willing to uphold its principles and resolve differences peacefully.
Nature of assistance planned is still unknown
During an emergency meeting in Riyadh earlier this month, the three countries agreed to immediately implement what they said were their collective defense commitments, including arrangements for the rapid deployment of agreed upon military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia. They didn’t elaborate.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that Turkey and Pakistan were assessing possible air defense, electronic warfare and technical assistance for Saudi Arabia.
“What type of assistance can be provided, especially in areas such as air defense and electronic warfare, what technical support can be offered? Work on these issues is ongoing,” he said.
“Turkey will not be sending troops into another country’s territory to carry out an attack. It is a defense agreement,” Fidan said, addressing concerns raised by opposition parties that Turkey would be drawn into the conflict in Yemen.
Authorities in Pakistan have declined to disclose deployment details, citing operational confidentiality. Officials say, however, that Pakistan’s role would be strictly defensive. The Pakistani Information Ministry recently dismissed as “speculative” news reports that said Pakistan had already deployed between 30,000 and 40,000 troops to Saudi Arabia.
Comment from Saudi Arabia on the pact since the Houthi attacks has been limited. In a post on X following a visit by Pakistan’s army chief, Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman said: “We affirmed our commitment to continuing joint efforts to confront these attacks in accordance with the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense.”
10-year commitment to the pact
Little was known about the content of the pact until Turkey’s government submitted it to parliament for approval on Tuesday.
The 16-article agreement, published by Turkish state broadcaster TRT on its website, states that the countries would defend each other militarily in case of external aggression in line with the U.N. Charter’s right of self-defense.
The agreement also paves the way for military cooperation, including joint training programs, exercises and personnel exchanges. It allows cooperation in the defense industry, including joint weapons production and technology transfers as well as intelligence sharing.
A surprise clause states that the parties wouldn’t be able to withdraw from the pact for 10 years, after which they would need to provide a three-month notice to leave.
A parliamentary committee is expected to review the agreement in the coming days before it reaches the Turkish parliament’s general assembly for ratification. Separately, Turkey’s parliament would have to authorize any deployment of Turkish military personnel.
Pakistan’s potential contributions
Pakistan hasn’t sought parliamentary endorsement of the Mecca agreement, but officials say the government and other national institutions support it. They say Islamabad would provide whatever military assistance Saudi Arabia needs to defend the kingdom and Islam’s holiest sites.
Pakistan’s military has more than two decades of experience fighting militant groups, which analysts say could help it bolster Saudi defenses.
The agreement builds on decades of Pakistani military service in Saudi Arabia. An unspecified number of Pakistani troops have been stationed in Saudi Arabia since the early 1980s to train and advise Saudi forces.
Pact to be led by retired Pakistani general
Even before the ratification process has been completed, the three countries established and convened a meeting of the so-called Strategic Political and Defense Committee composed of the foreign ministers, defense ministers and chiefs of staff.
The committee is expected to meet twice a year.
The pact’s secretariat will be based in Saudi Arabia, and retired Pakistani Gen. Nauman Mahmood has been selected as its first secretary-general. He will serve a three-year term.
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Munir Ahmed reported from Islamabad.
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