RIYADH: Military chiefs from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye agreed Friday to strengthen military cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement after reviewing security threats facing Saudi Arabia.
The chiefs of defense forces and general staff discussed intelligence sharing, military coordination and defense capability integration during their meeting in Riyadh.
The military leaders agreed to immediately translate the commitments of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement into practical military cooperation.
They strongly condemned attacks targeting the holy city of Makkah, as well as Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure. They also praised the Saudi Armed Forces for what they described as vigilance and professionalism in protecting the Kingdom and its people.
The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to collective defense and their resolve to defend Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The commanders also highlighted the longstanding ties and mutual trust between the three countries and their armed forces.
The participants discussed ways to deepen cooperation among their armed forces, focusing on intelligence sharing, military coordination and the integration of defense capabilities.
The cooperation is intended to improve coordination among the three countries’ armed forces as they respond to changing regional security conditions.
The talks come amid heightened security concerns in and around Saudi Arabia, including attacks linked to the wider regional conflict.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on Aug. 7, 2026, establishing a framework for closer defense cooperation among the three countries.
Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries is to be regarded as an attack against all three.
The pact also provides for greater military coordination and joint exercises, along with political and military mechanisms involving the countries’ foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs.
The three countries have since been working to establish the agreement’s institutional structure, including its secretariat and related committees.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan previously said the alliance’s secretariat would be established in Riyadh, with Pakistan providing its first secretary-general.
Pakistan subsequently appointed retired Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary-general, and the General Secretariat was established in Riyadh.
The development marked another step toward putting the agreement’s political and military mechanisms into operation.
The possibility of expanding the defense arrangement has also emerged.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said Friday that the Makkah agreement could eventually develop into a broader security framework for the Muslim world and suggested that Iran could potentially join.
Kurtulmus said Türkiye did not view the agreement as being directed against Iran.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also supported the idea of including Iran in a broader regional security framework, saying Tehran’s participation could contribute to regional stability.
The proposal remains a political discussion rather than a formal expansion of the existing three-country agreement. Reuters reported that the pact is expected to be submitted for ratification beginning next month.
The Riyadh meeting comes as Saudi Arabia faces heightened security concerns linked to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement and wider regional tensions.
The three countries’ foreign ministers had also met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York a day earlier, discussing implementation of the Makkah agreement and preparations for military coordination.
The military chiefs’ meeting further advances that coordination, with intelligence cooperation, military integration and collective defense at the center of the discussions.
