Daijiworld Media Network - Riyadh

Riyadh, Aug 8: Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement on Friday as escalating violence in the region, including Houthi attacks and the US-Iran conflict, raises security concerns across the Middle East.

The agreement comes as Riyadh seeks to strengthen its security partnerships amid the war between the United States and Iran, which has drawn in neighbouring countries and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

The conflict has emboldened Iran and its Houthi allies in Yemen, both of which have carried out attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Analysts also say Washington is increasingly being viewed as an unreliable security partner.

In a joint statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency and Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, the three countries announced the signing of the “Mecca Joint Defence Agreement”.

They said the agreement reflected their “shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond”.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said an attack on any one of the three members would be regarded as an attack on all, describing the pact as a measure intended to strengthen collective deterrence.

Turkey, however, later stressed that the agreement was not directed against any particular country.

The Turkish presidency's communications director said on X that the agreement was not aimed at any specific state and did not conflict with Turkey's existing international alliances, including its commitments under NATO.

Saudi Arabia also sought to clarify the scope of the pact, saying it was not intended to create a military axis or sectarian bloc.

“The agreement does not represent an effort to establish a military axis or a sectarian bloc,” Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said on X. He added that it was not linked to nuclear ambitions or an arms race, but was focused on developing sustainable defence capabilities.

Krimly also said the agreement did not constitute a threat to the security of any country in the region.

Since the outbreak of the regional conflict, Saudi Arabia has strengthened ties with Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan, which have been advocating mediation and efforts to resolve the conflict.

Umar Karim, an expert on Saudi foreign policy at the University of Birmingham, said the alignment was clearly oriented towards Iran and aimed at addressing what he described as Tehran's new strategic approach towards greater dominance in the Gulf region.

The fact that Turkey and Pakistan share borders with Iran could allow them to exercise a different form of leverage on Tehran, he said.

A source close to the Saudi military and government told AFP before the signing that although the agreement had been under discussion for a long time, recent developments in the region had accelerated the process.

Andreas Krieg of King's College London said the agreement demonstrated a clear desire by Saudi Arabia to diversify its alliances beyond the United States.

“Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are not trying to replace the United States,” he said. “They are building the capacity to protect their interests when Washington cannot or will not do so.”

Krieg said Riyadh, in particular, wanted several layers of security rather than relying on a single American security umbrella following the shock of the Iran war.

He said the agreement would support Saudi Arabia's ambition to play a greater role in organising regional security and diversify its defence partnerships. Turkey and Pakistan, meanwhile, could gain greater political influence and access to potential Saudi investments.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Mecca on Friday, according to the Turkish presidency. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir also travelled to Saudi Arabia for the signing.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had already announced a mutual defence pact in 2025, drawing international attention because Pakistan is the Muslim world's only nuclear-armed state.

The latest agreement comes as a truce between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels has broken down. The Houthis have carried out attacks on Saudi territory and declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, attempting to enforce it through attacks on Saudi tankers.

The Iran-backed Houthis have also increased pressure on Gulf energy exporters, which are already facing disruption from Tehran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, by threatening shipping in the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government against the Houthis since 2015. A truce reached four years ago largely held until hostilities resumed in recent weeks.

On Thursday, the Houthis killed at least 58 Yemeni government troops in missile and drone attacks, according to a military source, marking one of the deadliest days in the conflict in years.