Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to sign defense pact on Friday, sources say

A joint defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan is set to be signed on Friday, according to sources in Ankara. This trilateral agreement, which has been under negotiation since last year, represents a significant development in the region's geopolitics following the Israeli-US attacks on Iran. The deal, to be signed in Mecca, one of Islam's holiest sites, is expected to include a mutual defense clause, which would mean that an attack on one country would be considered an attack on all three.

The sources, however, declined to confirm this detail and emphasized that the agreement will not undermine any existing alliance commitments the three countries may have. The agreement is expected to cover all aspects of defense cooperation among the three countries, including recent developments in the region such as the Arab Spring protests and the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

The pact links three of the region's largest countries, each with unique advantages. Turkey, with its NATO membership, is the second-largest army in the alliance. Saudi Arabia, with its oil wealth, is the only G-20 economy in the Arab world and home to Islam's two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina. Pakistan, as the only Muslim state with nuclear weapons, adds a significant dimension to the defense pact.