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What is the ‘Mecca pact’ and could it change the Middle East?

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The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement could change the balance of power in the region

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a trilateral defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Photograph: Saudi Press Agency/AP.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a trilateral defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Photograph: Saudi Press Agency/AP.
Wed Aug 19 2026 - 06:00

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have signed a mutual defence pact that echoes Nato’s article 5 in saying they will treat an attack on one as an attack on all.

But will they? What does the pact mean for US leadership in the region, for the Iran war and for global security? We ask Denis Staunton on today’s In the News podcast.

TurkeySaudi ArabiaPakistan

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