Gaza Herald – The Turkish government submitted the full text of the Mecca Defence Pact to parliament on Tuesday. The agreement, signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in August, creates a new international defence alliance. It binds the signatories to each other’s security in a manner similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
The document obtained exclusively by Middle East Eye does not name any specific country or region as a threat. Instead, it emphasizes that all participating states will take necessary measures to support one another if their independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity faces an armed attack.
Article 1 of the treaty states that if the borders or sovereignty of any party are endangered, the others shall use all necessary means to eliminate the threat. Article 2 declares that an external armed attack against one party constitutes an attack against all parties.
Under this provision, the parties must immediately assist the attacked member using all available means of mutual aid. They are required to determine the scope of support through an objective assessment of needs, cooperating within the limits of their resources, including military capabilities.
The pact also mandates cooperation in developing defence industries, training armed forces and supplying equipment, fuel and other defence materials. A framework for intelligence sharing is established alongside these provisions.
Consisting of sixteen articles, the agreement has no expiration date. It allows signatories to withdraw only after ten years have passed since its entry into force. Withdrawal requires written notice given at least three months in advance.
The preamble reaffirms respect for sovereignty, the UN Charter and international law. It highlights the importance of non-interference in internal affairs and sovereign equality. The parties express a desire to deepen cooperation in combating terrorism and adopting common positions in international organizations.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud participated in the committee meetings leading to the pact’s finalization in Riyadh on October 5, 2026.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
