Makkah joint defense pact not a military bloc or arms race, says Saudi Foreign Ministry

Rayed Krimly, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Public Diplomacy, stated that the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement crowns years of detailed negotiations and reflects the depth of the strategic and historic ties spanning decades between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.

In a post on the X platform, Krimly explained that the agreement enables the three founding countries to develop joint defense capabilities, strengthen strategic deterrence, and boost readiness, as well as work toward developing and integrating their defense capacities to jointly counter any threat to their security and territorial integrity.

He added that the agreement stipulates that any external armed attack on any of the three countries would be considered an attack on all, as part of enhancing joint defense mechanisms among the signatories.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the agreement does not aim to form a military bloc or sectarian alliance, nor is it linked to nuclear ambitions or an arms race; rather, it seeks to build sustainable, self-reliant capabilities.

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He noted that the agreement does not come at the expense of Saudi Arabia’s strategic relations at the Gulf, Arab, or international levels, and does not pose a threat to any country in the region or escalate tensions between any two states.

Krimly also confirmed that the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement does not cancel or replace any bilateral or multilateral agreements linking the three countries with each other or with other states and organizations.