Erdogan: Egypt Could Join Türkiye-Saudi-Pakistan Joint Defense Pact

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Egypt could join the newly signed joint defense pact among Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, describing Cairo's potential participation as "feasible" and noting the treaty remains open to other members.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, airing on Sunday evening on Al Jazeera Arabic, Erdogan said the Joint Defense Agreement of Mecca commits the signatories to coordinated action if any of them is attacked by an external party.

"This agreement has sent an important message to the world," Erdogan said, adding that Egypt's participation is among the options for future expansion.

The agreement, also known as the Mecca Pact, was signed in the holy city on Friday by Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The pact stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three parties shall be considered an attack on all three — a collective deterrence clause that analysts have compared to NATO's Article 5. However, officials in Islamabad have cautioned against viewing it as a NATO equivalent or as targeting any specific country.

Erdogan addressed a range of regional issues in the interview, including tensions at the Strait of Hormuz and the wars in Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon.

The Turkish leader said reopening the strait is a priority for Ankara, arguing that its continued closure benefits no one. He also acknowledged Qatar's significant role in mediation efforts to prevent fighting in the region.

Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon

Erdogan pledged that Türkiye will not leave its neighbors alone in facing regional instability, particularly Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon.

He said Ankara will do everything in its power to support stability in Syria, while noting plans to visit the country. He affirmed that Kurds in Syria will "have a place in peace and stability." Türkiye will also continue to strengthen ties with Kurdish communities and protect their rights across the region.

On Gaza, Erdogan said Türkiye "cannot abandon Gaza" and will do whatever is necessary to support it. He argued that Hamas is fulfilling its commitments in good faith while Israel continues the war.

Turning to Lebanon, the Turkish president said Israel's ongoing attacks are a serious concern for Ankara. He said he raised the issue of ending the war in Lebanon with US President Donald Trump during Trump's recent visit to Türkiye, underscoring Washington's role in ending the conflict.

Erdogan also said Türkiye will continue to support Sudan and described his relationship with the country's Sovereignty Council head, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, as good. Ankara's ties with Libya are stable, and Türkiye will not abandon the country.

On Europe, Erdogan said the European Union appears reluctant to admit Türkiye, and EU membership is no longer a priority for Ankara, adding that Europe will "lose out" as a result.

He also revealed that he received a promise from Trump regarding F-35 fighter jets and is awaiting its fulfillment.

Türkiye was removed from the multinational F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring Russia's S-400 air defense system, which Washington said could compromise stealth fighter technology. Standing alongside Erdogan at a NATO summit in Ankara last month, Trump said his administration would lift the CAATSA sanctions imposed on Türkiye in December 2020 over the S-400 purchase, and that returning to the F-35 program is "definitely something we'll look at."

However, any sales still face opposition in the US Congress, and a 2020 law bars the Pentagon from transferring F-35s to Türkiye while it retains the S-400 system.