Trilateral Mecca defence pact signed, as Hormuz deal looms

The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a mutual defence pact in Mecca. The agreement states that any armed attack against one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three. According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the pact is open to participation by other friendly nations and does not target any country.

The agreement was signed during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This development comes as tensions in the region remain high, with Saudi Arabia's critical infrastructure and oil facilities having come under attack.

Separately, a US official has reported progress in talks between Iran and Oman that could soon lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the US official, an agreement between Iran and Oman is expected soon, which would allow for the resumption of normal oil traffic and potentially restore oil exports that have been impacted by recent conflicts.

The US has also indicated that it will lift the blockade of Iranian ports once a deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, as reported by Live Mint and Al-Monitor.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka, Middle East Eye, Live Mint, Al-Monitor, CBS News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.