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Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan are set to sign a joint defense agreement in Jeddah on Friday, according to sources cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Reuters, as regional powers move to strengthen security ties.
A source close to the Saudi military and government told AFP the agreement had been "under discussion for a long time, but the latest developments in the region expedite it," speaking on condition of anonymity.
A second source close to the Saudi government confirmed the signing would take place Friday.
Reuters separately reported that two regional sources with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed the same timeline.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah.
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Turkish Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran confirmed Thursday that Erdogan would make a one-day working visit to Saudi Arabia on Friday, during which he is expected to meet bin Salman and Sharif.
The Turkish official did not provide further details on the meetings' agenda.
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan's defense pact will be named the "Mecca Agreement," according to the Turkish state broadcaster.
"The agreement will change the balance of power in the region," one Ankara-based source who spoke to the Middle East Eye (MEE) said, adding that "If successfully implemented, the deal will enhance the stability and security of people living in this part of the world."
The sources who spoke to MEE said the agreement would cover all defense cooperation among the three countries. "It will not alter or undermine any other alliance commitments the three countries may have," the same source added.
The sources declined to say whether the agreement includes a mutual defense clause under which an attack on one country would be considered an attack on all three.
A second source said the deal was likely to include such a clause but cautioned that its final terms had yet to be confirmed.
President Erdogan arrived in Saudi Arabia for a one-day working visit.
The private plane carrying President Erdogan and his entourage landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
He was greeted there by the Deputy Governor of Mecca Region Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Türkiye's Ambassador to Riyadh Emrullah Isler, and the Consul General in Jeddah Mustafa Unal.
President Erdogan then departed for Mecca by road. During his working visit, Erdogan will meet with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Mecca.
Erdogan's aircraft departed Ankara at 7:30 a.m. Friday, seen off by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and other officials.
Sharif and Pakistan's Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a visit running through Saturday. Sharif was received at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport by Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of the Mecca region, according to Saudi state news agency SPA.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the visit was taking place from Aug. 6–8.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday: "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."
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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 already announced a joint defense pact in 2025, a move that drew significant attention given Pakistan's status as the Muslim world's only nuclear-armed state.
The regional backdrop includes the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, which has drawn in Gulf states and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, including the Saudi-led maritime defense coalition announced in late July, which also includes Türkiye among its 14 founding members.
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