Turkey Submits Mecca Joint Defense Pact with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to Parliament for Ratification

The Turkish government has submitted the Mecca Joint Defense Treaty — a trilateral document between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia — to parliament for ratification. According to documents obtained by Reuters, the pact was signed on August 7, 2025 and comprises 16 articles.

The treaty aims to establish a regional collective defense architecture, to be activated in the event that a member is subjected to armed attack, with detailed provisions set out in each article.

Under Article 1, the signatories will use "all necessary means" to eliminate threats to one another's territorial integrity. When this provision is invoked in the event of an attack on a member state, the next steps are governed by Article 2.

Article 2 states: "In the event that one party is subjected to armed attack or military aggression by another state or group of states, the parties shall immediately provide support to the attacked party, using the full range of available mutual assistance measures." The mechanism is seen as similar to Article 5 of NATO's founding charter, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on the entire alliance.

Article 2 also provides that each signatory will "determine the scope and nature of support following an objective assessment of assistance needs," while the three countries will cooperate within the limits of available resources, including military capabilities and assets.

Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the draft cover in detail cooperation on the defense industry, intelligence sharing, logistical support, joint training and the fight against "all forms of terrorism," including at the operational level. Other provisions address joint research, development and innovation projects in advanced technologies and ensuring military readiness.

The treaty also provides for the establishment of a defense committee made up of the foreign and defense ministers of all three countries, along with a mechanism allowing other states to join subject to the approval of all three founding members. The pact runs for 10 years, after which any country may withdraw under the terms set out in the draft submitted to the Turkish parliament.

Earlier this month, Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed to activate "deterrent measures" under the mutual defense treaty and to rapidly deploy forces to the Gulf kingdom in response to attacks by Yemen's Houthi forces, also known as Ansar Allah.

Ratification path in parliament

According to Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar, the ratification process is expected to "take quite some time," even though the ruling alliance needs only a simple majority. "The various political parties represented in the Turkish parliament will discuss the treaty's articles, and there will likely be heated debate because the opposition has its own objectives," Serdar said.

According to the correspondent, even if the treaty is ratified, it will not lead to the deployment of Turkish troops, since such a move would require further legislative processes.

The speaker of the Turkish parliament will refer the treaty to the legislature's foreign affairs committee. According to a source who spoke to Reuters, the committee could discuss the pact as early as Friday. Once it has been submitted to the committee, the treaty's contents and details are expected to be made public.

Burhanettin Duran, communications director of the Turkish Presidency, wrote on X: "The growing strategic partnership among our countries aims to strengthen collective deterrence, enhance joint defense capabilities and protect regional security and stability." Duran added that the process marks an important milestone toward "institutionalizing" strategic cooperation among the three nations.

Regional tension in the background

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the escalating violence between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen. "As I have always said, we are surrounded by a ring of fire. That is exactly the situation we face," Erdogan said, referring to Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have carried out missile and drone attacks on the kingdom, including on oil facilities and Riyadh's main airport, while the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government has carried out airstrikes on Houthi positions.