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Türkiye’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee has approved the Mecca defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, while the three countries have agreed to move ahead with collective defence measures.
Mariyam Adheela
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026 -- Saudi Press Agency
ANKARA: The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan has advanced towards ratification in Türkiye, with the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee approving the bill on October 27 and referring it for consideration by the full parliament. The committee’s decision was reported on October 28.
Signed in Mecca on August 7, the agreement stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three signatories will be treated as an attack against all three. It provides for closer military coordination, intelligence cooperation and collaboration in defence industries.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on October 24 that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had completed their ratification processes, while Türkiye was still pursuing the required domestic approval procedures. The agreement has therefore not yet completed ratification in all three countries.
The agreement has already moved into an operational phase. At an emergency meeting in Riyadh on October 5, the three countries agreed to begin implementing their collective-defence commitments and take steps to ensure the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia.
The meeting followed attacks targeting Saudi territory and civilian and economic facilities. The three governments condemned the attacks and reaffirmed their commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and territorial integrity. The committee also appointed retired Pakistani Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as its first secretary-general for a three-year term.
The pact has attracted attention because of the wider regional conflict and the involvement of Yemen’s Houthi movement in attacks against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis are backed by Iran, but the agreement’s stated purpose is collective defence rather than an explicitly declared alliance against Tehran.
For Iran, closer military coordination among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan could affect regional security calculations. However, the agreement does not automatically require the three countries to launch offensive action against Iran, and its signatories have presented it as a framework for defence and deterrence.
The next major step is consideration by Türkiye’s full parliament. The agreement’s longer-term impact will depend on the final ratification process, the implementation of its military commitments and how the three countries respond to future regional security threats.
