{
  "id": 312628,
  "title": "Turkey and Saudi Arabia's rocky relations: A brief history",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/turkey-and-saudi-arabias-rocky-relations-a-brief-history",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-08T15:00:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-and-saudi-arabia-bitter-rivals-strategic-partners"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Turkey and Saudi Arabia's relationship has been marked by periods of cooperation and tension. The two nations, both Sunni Muslim powers, have historically competed for leadership of the Muslim world. The Ottoman Empire ruled over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina for nearly 350 years before the Saudis toppled the Ottomans in 1924.\n\nFor many years, Turkey and Saudi Arabia maintained a cordial relationship, supporting each other in various conflicts. They backed Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war and the US during the Gulf War. However, their relationship began to deteriorate following the Arab Spring in 2010. While both countries initially supported the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, their approaches to revolutionary movements in the region grew increasingly divergent.\n\nTurkey supported the 2013 military coup in Egypt led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a close ally of Saudi Arabia. However, once Sisi consolidated power, Turkey began to openly oppose him. Riyadh accused Turkey of being part of a \"triangle of evil\" alongside Iran and extremist religious groups in 2018. This culminated in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul the following year.\n\nThe Khashoggi killing marked the lowest point in Turkey-Saudi relations in modern times. Turkish prosecutors indicted 20 Saudis in connection with the murder, based on various pieces of evidence. Since then, the two countries have attempted to mend their ties, evidenced by recent defense agreements signed with Pakistan.",
  "summary": "Turkey and Saudi Arabia's rocky relations: A brief history Submitted by Rayhan Uddin on Sat, 08/08/2026 - 14:44 As Riyadh and Ankara sign a historic defence agreement with Pakistan, MEE charts the turbulent ties between the two powers Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is received by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on 7 August 2026 (Saudi Press Agency/Handout…",
  "key_points": [
    "Turkey and Saudi Arabia have competed for Muslim world leadership.",
    "Relations deteriorated post-Arab Spring in 2010.",
    "Khashoggi killing marked lowest point in modern ties."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/312628.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}