The Mecca Agreement on joint defense, signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, is not intended to replace NATO and remains open to participation by other countries.

“The Mecca Agreement is not an alternative to NATO, but an additional mechanism within the international security architecture. Türkiye will implement this agreement with parliamentary approval and in accordance with constitutional procedures. The participation of other countries in this agreement would be extremely valuable in terms of its principles and objectives,” Omer Celik, spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said, TASS reports.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on August 7, 2026, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence and defence cooperation. It stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three. The agreement also seeks to deepen cooperation in security and defence, building on the countries’ existing strategic ties. Turkish officials have said the pact is intended to complement, rather than replace, existing security arrangements and is open to participation by other countries.