Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a defence pact, creating a trilateral security framework amid regional turmoil. The agreement, signed in Jeddah, aims to deter aggression and secure shipping lanes, following heightened tensions in the Gulf and the Red Sea.
The signing took place on Friday in Jeddah with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir present. The pact follows nearly a year of negotiations and follows an existing Saudi‑Pakistani mutual defence agreement covering all military means.
The pact signals a shift in Gulf security dynamics, potentially impacting shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. It also reflects the broader trend of Sunni powers aligning against perceived Iranian influence, with implications for regional oil flows and the cost of maritime insurance premiums.
While the pact is described as a deterrence framework, details on specific commitments remain unclear, and the agreement's scope for joint defence industry development is still debated.