Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan unite and raise a regional shield against Iran and its allies

Beirut"An attack against Saudi Arabia will also be considered an attack against Turkey and Pakistan. And vice versa." This is established by the trilateral defense agreement reached this Friday in Mecca between Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad, which commits the three countries to respond jointly to an aggression against any of them.

The pact comes at a time of great uncertainty in the Middle East, after the recent escalation between the United States and Iran and while negotiations on Hormuz continue. For Riyadh, the agreement represents a further step in its strategy to expand its security alliances and strengthen its response capacity in the face of a regional scenario it considers increasingly unpredictable.

Saudi Arabia has sought to clarify one of the main doubts about the agreement. Saudi official sources have insisted that the pact is not related to the nuclear capabilities of Pakistan, the only nuclear power in the Muslim world, and have denied that it responds to any ambition in this area. The objective, they assure, is to strengthen military cooperation and defensive coordination between all three countries.

Riyadh is seeking new partners to strengthen its security and reduce its exclusive dependence on Washington. For decades, the United States has been the main guarantor of Saudi security in the Gulf. This alliance remains fundamental, but the open crisis with Iran has reinforced the kingdom's desire to expand its network of support.

Turkey and Pakistan occupy a key place in this strategy. Ankara has an expanding defense industry, especially in the development of drones and military systems, and one of the most important armies in the region. Islamabad has maintained close military cooperation with Riyadh for decades and brings extensive experience in security matters.

From rivalry to mutual need

The alliance with Turkey also has a symbolic component. Just a few years ago, a defense agreement of this scope would have been difficult to imagine. Saudi Arabia and Turkey went through years of tensions due to their political differences and their distinct positions on each other's role in the Middle East. But priorities have changed. Rivalry with Iran and uncertainty about the American role in the region have brought two powers closer that today share more interests than differences.

The agreement is also signed at a delicate time for the Gulf monarchies. Although direct attacks between the United States and Iran have temporarily stopped while negotiations on Hormuz proceed, the crisis remains open. In Riyadh, there is a conviction that the threat has not disappeared and that Iran maintains the capacity to exert pressure through the armed groups it supports in the region.

Saudi concern is not solely focused on a possible direct confrontation with Tehran, but on the capacity of its regional allies to open new fronts. The Houthis of Yemen are one of the main examples. In recent days, Houthi rebels, with Iran's support, claimed a series of attacks against Yemeni government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and threatened that "there will be no security" for those who support their adversaries.

The nuance is important: the attacks were not directed against Saudi territory, but against Yemeni forces allied with Riyadh. But for Saudi Arabia, they reflect a greater concern: Iranian pressure can be exerted through its regional allies. The same concern exists with Iraqi Shiite militias, although no recent direct attacks against the kingdom have been registered so far.

Balances in Mecca

The agreement with Turkey and Pakistan does not, however, represent the creation of an openly anti-Iranian front. Both countries maintain relations with Tehran and keep open channels of dialogue. Pakistan, in fact, has acted as a mediator between the United States and Iran in the current crisis. This position makes Ankara and Islamabad special partners for Riyadh: they provide military capability, but they also maintain dialogue channels with Saudi Arabia's main regional rival.

With this agreement, Saudi Arabia sends a double message. To its adversaries, it reminds them that an attack on the kingdom would have regional consequences; to its allies, including the United States, that Riyadh wants to expand the bases on which it bases its security. Turkey and Pakistan thus become pieces in a strategy that seeks to reduce Saudi vulnerability at a time of great uncertainty.