By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said the newly signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is “purely defensive,” is not directed against any country and remains open to other countries in the region that are willing to embrace its principles.

Dar made the remarks in a post on X on Sunday, seeking to clarify the scope and purpose of the agreement amid growing international and regional discussion following its signing in Makkah on Friday.

The agreement commits the three countries to treating an external armed attack against any one of them as an attack against all three. Dar said the provision is consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The pact marks a significant expansion of security cooperation among three strategically important countries spanning South Asia, the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean.

In his statement, Dar emphasized that the Makkah Accord should not be interpreted as a military arrangement directed against a particular state.

“The Makkah Accord is purely defensive in nature,” Dar said, adding that it is “not targeted against any country.”

He said its purpose is to strengthen the three countries’ existing efforts toward peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region.

The clarification comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions across the Middle East and growing debate over the emergence of new regional security arrangements.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have all maintained extensive relations with countries outside the new framework, making clear messaging about the agreement’s defensive character particularly important.

- Attack on one to be considered attack on all

The central provision of the agreement is the commitment that an external armed attack against one member will be considered an attack against all three.

Dar said this principle is based on the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence recognized under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The provision has drawn comparisons with collective-defence arrangements elsewhere, although the precise military mechanisms for implementing the Makkah Accord remain to be fully developed.

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has separately compared the collective-defence principle technically to NATO’s Article 5, while emphasizing that the new arrangement is not directed against Iran or another specific country.

Dar said the agreement was not the result of a sudden diplomatic initiative but represented the culmination of years of discussions and coordination among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

According to the Pakistani foreign minister, the three countries shared a desire to strengthen strategic cooperation in responding to a range of peace and security challenges while promoting regional stability and economic prosperity.

The agreement therefore builds on defence and strategic relationships that already existed among the three states.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained decades of military cooperation, while Pakistan and Türkiye have expanded defence ties in areas including naval cooperation and defence production.

Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have also strengthened their strategic and economic relationship in recent years.

The Makkah Accord brings these overlapping relationships into a trilateral framework.

Dar also sought to prevent speculation that the new pact would force any of the three countries to abandon existing alliances or international commitments.

He said the Makkah Accord does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or Türkiye.

That includes agreements among the three countries themselves as well as their existing arrangements with other countries and international organizations.

The point is particularly relevant for Türkiye, which is a NATO member, and for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which maintain extensive defence and security relationships with several international partners.

The Makkah agreement is therefore being presented by Islamabad as an additional framework for strategic cooperation rather than a replacement for existing alliances.

- Door open to other countries

Perhaps the most significant element of Dar’s clarification is his statement that the Makkah Accord is open to other countries in the region.

He said any regional country willing to uphold the agreement’s fundamental principles could potentially become part of the broader framework.

Those principles include mutual respect, cooperation and resolving differences through peaceful means.

Dar did not identify specific countries that could join, nor did he announce an immediate expansion of the agreement.

However, his statement signals that Pakistan sees the Makkah Accord as potentially capable of developing beyond its original three members.

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also indicated that the arrangement could eventually expand, with Egypt among the countries discussed as a potential participant.

The possibility of expansion could give the Makkah Accord significance beyond the three founding states.

Pakistan is a major South Asian military power with extensive experience in counterterrorism and regional security operations.

Türkiye is a NATO member with one of the region’s largest defence industries and growing capabilities in drones, missiles, naval systems and other military technologies.

Saudi Arabia is a major Middle Eastern economic and political power with significant defence spending and strategic influence across the Gulf and wider Arab world.

Their combined capabilities could provide the foundation for a new form of regional security cooperation.

Dar said the Makkah Accord is consistent with the fundamental pillars of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

He also said Islamabad would continue working closely with other countries in the region toward lasting peace and stability.

“We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples,” Dar said.

His comments indicate that Pakistan wants the new defence framework to coexist with broader diplomatic engagement rather than replace it.

That could be important for Islamabad as it seeks to maintain relations with countries that may have differing positions on regional security issues.