Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign defence pact

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have united in a joint defense pact, asserting that an assault on one nation would be considered an attack on all three. The agreement was unveiled during a meeting in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, among Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The trio has been striving to enhance security ties amid the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, which has led to disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

This pact follows a similar defense agreement signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan last year. Iran and its allies have been targeting Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, as well as imposing a blockade on shipping due to the US and Israel's strikes on Iran on February 28. In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who govern the northern region of the country, have been clashing with government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

Recently, the Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, targeting its airports, oil facilities, and tankers in the Red Sea. In response, Saudi Arabia has launched strikes against Houthi positions and established a new naval coalition to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced the pact, stating that any attack on one of the three nations would be treated as an attack on all. The "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement" emphasizes mutual support among the three Sunni states but lacks specifics on each country's obligations. A Turkish official, according to Reuters, confirmed the pact's defensive nature.

The three countries have expressed concern over the seemingly unending conflict between Israel and Iran, which they fear could have wider regional repercussions. Saudi Arabia's financial power, coupled with its position as one of the largest weapons purchasers, Turkey's second-largest military force in NATO with advanced defense production capabilities, and Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, form the backbone of this defense pact.