Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign defense pact as Iran repeats that Hormuz deal is close

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey have signed a joint defense pact, establishing mutual support in case of an attack. The agreement, signed in Mecca, brings the three Muslim powers under a single security umbrella for the first time as part of a trilateral framework. According to CBS News, the pact would treat any act of aggression on one of the three nations as an attack on all of them.

Iran, meanwhile, has announced that it is nearing an agreement with Oman over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping corridor. The Hill reports that Iran warned that its reopening would depend on other conditions, including compensation from the US to Iran.

The defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey solidifies their longstanding security ties into a collective-defense alliance. Egypt Independent reports that the agreement gives Saudi Arabia a powerful new layer of protection beyond its longstanding security partnership with the US, amid growing regional doubts over whether Washington can still be relied upon to protect its oil-rich Gulf allies.

Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, The Hill, Middle East Eye, France 24, Egypt Independent — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.