The Regional Order Iran Wanted Is Taking Shape Without It
Tehran has long called for greater cooperation among Muslim states. The Mecca pact is not what it had in mind.
Iran has long urged its neighbors to rely less on the United States for security. On August 7, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan formed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, pledging to treat an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan likened the pact to NATO's Article 5. The agreement includes a ministerial committee and a permanent secretariat in Saudi Arabia.
However, Iran was notably absent from the signing. While Iran advocates for regional security arrangements free of outside interference, its neighbors drew different conclusions from the recent war. They sought their own security alignments rather than embracing a framework that includes Iran. The Mecca pact's effectiveness and the willingness of its members to defend one another remain uncertain.
Iran may test the pact's limits to reveal its shortcomings, but doing so risks further alienating it from the region. If Iran strikes Saudi Arabia again, Turkey and Pakistan's response will signal the pact's strength. Should Iran pursue detente with Riyadh, its neighbors might find Tehran to be an increasingly isolated player in the region.
Written by urgent.news from Foreign Policy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
