Mecca Trilateral Pact Builds a Regional Defense Umbrella, Not a Target List
Turkish President Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed a trilateral defence agreement in Mecca that mirrors a NATO-style commitment to collective security without naming Iran as a target; allies could request assistance and specify needs (intel, logistics, troops), while joint committees, a Saudi-based secretariat and defence-industry cooperation are planned. The pact aims to deepen interoperability and could expand to other regional partners, though practical details remain to be worked out. Iran dismissed the move as speculative and warned against relying on external security partners.
