Discussions under way on joining Mecca pact: Syria

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani indicated on Saturday that the nation is deliberating the prospect of joining the Makkah defence pact, which encompasses Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7, entitles the three members to regard an armed strike against one as an attack on all.

During a conference in Bahrain, Shaibani discussed Syria's potential involvement in the Makkah alliance at the Manama Dialogue. According to SANA, Syria's ambassador expressed solidarity with the Gulf states against aggression and denounced missile and drone assaults. The minister emphasized that Syria's geographic position has led to its decision to function as a conduit for prosperity and the exchange of interests, vowing to resist turning Syria into a platform for threatening neighboring countries.

Shaibani also denounced Israeli strikes on Syrian territory, affirmed the occupied Golan Heights as Syrian land, and advocated for an independent Palestinian state. Saudi Arabia has been rallying support against increasing attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, such as a lethal strike that shut down Riyadh's international airport for two weeks this month.

Pakistan is offering "whatever support is needed" to defend Saudi Arabia from the Houthi assaults, stated Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military's spokesperson. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general emphasized that all members of the Makkah Defence Alliance are "absolutely clear [...] that this alliance has no offensive intent; it is purely defensive."

In the days leading up to the announcement, a Pakistani official clarified that the pact does not preclude the addition of new members. The Syrian foreign minister visited Pakistan in August, where he met with the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff to address the regional security landscape and potential collaborations.

Amid the Houthi assaults on Saudi Arabia, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Riyadh earlier this month and pledged French assistance in safeguarding a crucial Saudi oil terminal from attacks. In October, the United Kingdom announced it would dispatch fighter aircraft to aid Saudi Arabia in combating the attacks.