Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign strategic defense pact

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey concluded a mutual‑defence agreement in Riyadh, formalising a strategic alliance among the three Sunni‑majority powers. The pact was signed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following months of negotiations and a high‑level visit that also involved Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir.

The agreement expands military cooperation and signals a deeper security partnership that could reshape regional dynamics amid ongoing tensions in the Gulf and the war in Iran. In parallel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been advancing a “mobility diplomacy” agenda, including a new economic partnership to speed customs procedures, boost trade and improve transport corridors, reflecting a broader effort to diversify security and economic ties in the Middle East.