Top military commanders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan met in Riyadh on September 25, 2026, to advance regional collective defense. The high-level talks follow stepped-up attacks on the kingdom and focus on expanding intelligence cooperation and joint military readiness under the recently signed Mecca Agreement.
Military Leaders Convene in Riyadh for Mecca Agreement Talks
Defense leadership from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan gathered in the Saudi capital to review the security situation and examine direct threats facing the kingdom. The Saudi Ministry of Defense reported that the chiefs of staff discussed practical measures to deepen intelligence sharing and military coordination, aiming to strengthen mutual deterrence and collective defense capabilities.
The meeting brought together the defense chiefs of the three member states following initial diplomatic and political arrangements. The Turkish Ministry of Defense confirmed that General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu traveled to Saudi Arabia for the trilateral discussions with his Saudi and Pakistani counterparts.
Regional Threats and Cross-Border Attacks Spark Urgent Coordination
The military talks follow an escalation in regional security tensions. Saudi Arabia with Turkey and Pakistan are discussing ways to support the kingdom in facing Houthi attacks, in a step putting the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense to a practical test after the Riyadh announced it intercepted six ballistic missiles launched from Yemen, and the Houthi group claimed responsibility for attacks on targets inside the kingdom.
In response to the cross-border strikes, military commanders expressed strong condemnation of attacks directed at Mecca and the kingdom’s civilian and economic infrastructure, in reference to the attacks launched by the Houthi movement backed by Iran against the kingdom. The defense chiefs praised the vigilance and professionalism of the Saudi armed forces in protecting residents and securing national territory.
Translating the Mecca Agreement Into Active Defense
The mutual defense pact was originally signed on August 7, 2026, during a trilateral summit hosted by Mecca, bringing together Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The treaty establishes that an armed attack against any of the three states is considered an attack on all of them.
Prior to the Riyadh summit, foreign ministers from the three nations met on Thursday at the permanent mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, to establish joint administrative structures. The diplomatic discussions led by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Muhammad Ishaq Dar addressed the progress made in establishing the general secretariat, committees, and working groups stemming from the agreement, and preparations to begin their work.
Leaders from the participating nations have repeatedly emphasized that the alliance is designed strictly for deterrence and regional stability. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated last month that the agreement does not define a common enemy nor target any specific country, affirming that any country will not be a target as long as it does not attack the member states. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif previously stated that the escalation in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia makes the time appropriate to activate the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense, noting that his country's commitment to protecting the kingdom and holy sites exists whether a formal agreement is present or not, considering it a moral duty.
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