Turkey, Qatar sign mutual defense agreement, Turkish presidency says

On Friday, Turkey and Qatar inked a mutual defense pact, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office. The agreement was finalized during a meeting between the Turkish president and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Istanbul. Erdogan stated that they would continue to collaborate to thwart the resurgence of war in the Gulf region and foster a dialogue for peace.

The presidency did not offer additional specifics on the defense deal. In a statement on X/Twitter, Erdogan highlighted that Turkey and Qatar were aiming to expand and diversify their energy partnership, and that their defense cooperation would further develop. The Turkish leader emphasized that the Mutual Defense Agreement would bolster their brotherhood.

In August, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan signed a joint defense pact in Mecca, uniting Sunni Muslim allies facing regional conflict. Turkey's parliament ratified the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement last week, allowing Ankara to send military aid to Saudi Arabia, which has been battling Iran-backed Houthi militants. The agreement stipulates that an attack on one party is deemed an attack on all.