Turkish sources quoted by local media outlets confirmed on Friday that a defense pact would be signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan departed for Saudi Arabia in the morning in a visit announced only hours ago.
Sources said that the joint defense agreement would reflect the shared will against military threats and security challenges and be based on regional ownership. "This deal aims to ensure the security of the territories of the three countries and deter threats, and it is exclusively a defense agreement in its core,” sources said. Sources close to the Saudi military and government have earlier confirmed the agreement to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Regional powers are looking to strengthen security ties against a backdrop of war between the United States and Iran, which has drawn in Gulf states and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
"It was under discussion for a long time but the latest developments in the region expedites it," the source speaking to AFP said on condition of anonymity.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to meet Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. Sharif and Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir arrived in the kingdom on Thursday for a visit lasting until Saturday.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the visit was taking place from Aug. 6 to 8. "Although taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf, the visit will carry significance beyond the immediate crisis and short-term considerations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday.
The three countries have been the subject of months of speculation about a possible strategic alliance.
Pakistan has sought to mediate efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war, while Türkiye has played a diplomatic role in negotiations aimed at ending the war in Gaza. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had already announced a joint defence pact in 2025, a move that drew attention because Pakistan is the Muslim world's only nuclear-equipped state.