Dr. Hai Eitan Cohen Yanrojak, an analyst on The Zioneer's 'תא הכתבים' program, said Sunday that Egypt is reportedly interested in joining the trilateral defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, and that additional countries are on the list for potential membership. The analysis follows earlier reports on the emerging regional security bloc.
Dr. Hai Eitan Cohen Yanrojak, an analyst on The Zioneer's 'תא הכתבים' program, said Sunday evening that reports indicate Egypt is interested in joining the emerging trilateral defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, and that additional countries are on the list for potential membership. The assessment follows a series of statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan over the weekend, who first confirmed the pact's structure and potential expansion.
The Zioneer's coverage of the pact began on Saturday, August 8, when multiple reports at 20:34 Jerusalem time detailed Fidan's remarks. He stated the pact mirrors NATO Article 5 in collective defense obligations, is not aimed at Iran or Israel, and includes a ministerial committee and secretariat. Fidan also noted the agreement had been in preparation for two years and eight months, and that Egypt may join after resolving technical issues. On Sunday, The Zioneer published a separate analysis suggesting the pact's primary target is Iran, with Jerusalem as a secondary target—a view that contradicts the official Turkish position.
The trilateral pact, known as the Mecca Agreement, represents a strategic realignment of three major Sunni-majority powers. As The Zioneer reported on Friday, channels affiliated with the Iran-led Axis of Resistance have expressed concern over the pact, viewing it as directed against Tehran and its proxies. The agreement also emerges amid broader diplomatic shifts, including the US-Iran deal and a planned Middle East summit in France, as previously reported by The Zioneer.
The analyst's remarks did not specify which additional countries might be under consideration, nor did he provide a timeline for Egypt's possible accession. The implications for Israel, which has been excluded from the framework, remain a subject of ongoing analysis, with competing assessments about whether the pact ultimately strengthens or complicates Israel's strategic position.
6 developments
- StrongIranian media claims Tehran invited to join Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan defense pact
- StrongAnalysis: Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan defense pact seen boosting India-Israel ties, Greece-Cyprus alignment
- StrongReport: Egypt's refusal to join Mecca pact stems from desire for dominance, not opposition
- DevelopingAnalysis: Muslim defense pact Israel can't ignore raises questions on regional partnerships
Source and signal
- Open-source intake