Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the trilateral defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has been in preparation for two years and eight months, and that Egypt may join the bloc, according to an Azerbaijani channel. Fidan reiterated that the pact is not aimed at Iran and that its commitments are similar to NATO Article 5 in terms of collective defense.
An Azerbaijani channel now reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated the trilateral defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan has been in preparation for two years and eight months, and that Egypt may join the bloc. Fidan reiterated that the commitments under the 'Mecca Agreement' are similar to NATO Article 5 — collective defense — and stressed that the pact is not directed at Iran or any specific country. The channel did not provide a direct link to the original interview or specify when it was conducted.
The story unfolded Saturday evening in Jerusalem. At 20:34, analyst Yair Goldblatt reported on X that Fidan said the pact is modeled on NATO Article 5 and not aimed at Iran. Fidan then clarified it is also not aimed at Israel, and confirmed the pact includes a ministerial committee and secretariat. In a subsequent interview with Israeli media N12, Fidan said Egypt may join after certain technical issues are resolved. The Zioneer reported at 20:56 that Fidan disclosed the two-year-and-eight-month preparation timeline, which the Azerbaijani channel now corroborates.
The 'Mecca Agreement' was signed between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, as The Zioneer reported on Friday, August 7. The pact is seen as a strategic realignment of Sunni-majority powers, addressing shared threats including Iranian expansionism and Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure. The Zioneer has also reported on a 14-nation maritime coalition to protect Red Sea shipping and a potential US-Israel-Gulf military operation against Iran and the Houthis. Iran's Axis of Resistance has expressed concern over the agreement.
The Azerbaijani channel's report lacks a direct source link and interview date. The pact's full operational details, including the scope of mutual defense obligations and the timeline for potential Egyptian accession, have not been publicly disclosed.
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