Iran war: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan sign defence pact
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Three major Sunni-majority nations–Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan—signed a joint defence agreement on Friday, the media reported.
Of them, Pakistan has been “mediating” between the US and the Shia nation, Iran, which have been at war since February 28 this year.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had already signed a defence pact—against Iran—in September 2025.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said an attack on any of the three states “shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” the BBC reported.
The pact was announced at a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
Regional powers are looking to strengthen security ties against a backdrop of the ongoing war between the United States and Iran, which has drawn in predominantly Arab Gulf states and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
“It was under discussion for a long time but the latest developments in the region expedites it,” the reports said.
Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir arrived in the kingdom on Thursday for a visit lasting until Saturday, while Erdogan came on Friday.
“Although taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf, the visit will carry significance beyond the immediate crisis and short term considerations,” foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said in Islamabad on Thursday.
Pakistan has sought to mediate efforts to end the US-Iran war, while Turkey has played a diplomatic role in negotiations aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
