Syria weighs joining Makkah joint defence agreement

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Al Shaibani announced on Saturday that Syria is considering negotiations to join the Makkah pact, a security agreement involving the Gulf states. Speaking at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Shaibani emphasized Syria's commitment to regional security and its willingness to cooperate with any organization that protects the area.

Despite the Makkah pact's focus on Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates, Shaibani highlighted Syria's "very special" relationship with Turkey, which is also a member of the pact. The Makkah agreement, signed in August, stipulates that an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all members. This pact emerged shortly before Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, carried out attacks on several airports in Syria.

In response, Saudi Arabia has sought international backing to combat the Houthi insurgency. Syrian President Ahmad Al Sharaa visited Saudi Arabia earlier this month. While Syria has consistently stressed the importance of Gulf security, it has denied reports of receiving requests for ground troops from the kingdom to fight the Houthis in Yemen.

The Makkah pact, seen as a significant regional security development, has not yet been applied in Yemen. Recently, the pact's member states visited Tehran to explore ways of de-escalating tensions and preventing a wider conflict between the United States and Iran.