On August 7, 2026, a defense agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan was signed in Saudi Arabia. The pact was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sources differ on the exact location of the signing: the ANSA news agency indicates Jeddah, while the outlet Open refers to Mecca.

The treaty establishes that an armed attack against one of the three states will be considered an attack against all, a formulation that recalls Article 5 of NATO's Atlantic Charter. The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any form of aggression. The three leaders specified that the alliance is not directed against any country in the region and has no sectarian character. Erdoğan suggested that the pact could in the future be opened to other states.

The Islamic Republic of Iran reacted with criticism. The spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament, Ebrahim Rezaei, stated that a paper agreement with Turkey and Pakistan will not guarantee Saudi Arabia's security, urging Riyadh to change its policy so as not to depend on others for its security.

According to the outlet Open, the idea of closer military cooperation had been under discussion for some time, with a previous bilateral defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed in September 2025. Attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and threats from the Houthis in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait reportedly accelerated the negotiations. For Riyadh, the pact reportedly represents an attempt to build more autonomous deterrence while maintaining its relationship with Washington; for Ankara, it marks a formal entry into the Gulf security architecture; for Islamabad, it consolidates its regional role, also thanks to its nuclear arsenal. Saudi Arabia has ruled out nuclear ambitions.

The agreement comes amid a tense regional context. According to US sources reported by several outlets, an agreement between Oman and Iran on the Strait of Hormuz is expected soon. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, is reportedly seeking an exit from the ongoing conflict in Iran, while clashes have been reported in Yemen and Israeli bombardments are recorded in Lebanon.