Turkey's parliament ratifies Mecca defense pact, clearing way for military support to Saudi Arabia

On Thursday, Turkey's parliament approved the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, a pact involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. This approval paves the way for Turkey to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in response to attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. The agreement, signed in August, stipulates that an attack on one member nation is considered an attack on all parties.

A ruling party lawmaker revealed last month that Turkey would also seek parliamentary approval for deploying military personnel to Saudi Arabia under the pact. The agreement was signed by Saudi and Syrian defense officials on Wednesday, following Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa's visit to Riyadh. Al-Sharaa is reportedly seeking to join the Mecca Pact.

Although the specifics of the military agreement remain undisclosed, Syria is reportedly evaluating its participation in the Mecca alliance. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani hinted that discussions are underway to assess Syria's potential entry into the pact. Al-Shaibani suggested that Iran is on the brink of collapse, leading to the formation of the Mecca Pact, which includes Sunni countries not affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood but are also Sunni. Qatar is reportedly considering joining the alliance.