Iran reacts to Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye Defence Pact
KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
- Iran says the Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye defence pact reflects a changing regional approach to security.
- Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar briefed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the agreement and stressed its stated focus on regional peace and security.
- The pact commits the three signatories to regard an armed attack against one member as an attack against all three, while Pakistan says the agreement is defensive and open to other regional countries.
ISLAMABAD (Dawn News) — August 11, 2026: Iran has described the newly signed defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as an indication of what it sees as a changing regional approach to security, while Islamabad has stressed that the pact is intended to strengthen strategic cooperation and regional stability.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei made the remarks on Monday while responding to questions about the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in Makkah last week.
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“This development is a sign of a change in the perception of the countries of the region,” Baqaei said, according to Iranian state media.
He added that regional countries were increasingly seeking security arrangements based on their own capabilities and cooperation rather than relying exclusively on external actors.
“Considering the developments of the last two to three years, the countries of the region have realised that security is not a commodity that can be bought from false security brokers,” Baqaei said, in comments referring to the United States.
Iran says Pact is not necessarily Directed at it
Baqaei said Tehran had no reason to assume that the agreement was directed against Iran, pointing to what he described as Iran’s longstanding historical and regional ties with Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
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He also said Iran remained interested in security mechanisms based on cooperation among regional states.
“There is no reason to worry that this treaty will be against Iran,” Baqaei said.
Asked whether Iran could potentially join the arrangement, the Iranian spokesperson said Tehran had consistently supported regional security mechanisms that were not subject to what he called external interference.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sign a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on August 7, 2026. (Photo by SPA).
He said existing proposals for regional security cooperation could be updated in light of developments.
Dar briefs Iran on Makkah Agreement
Separately, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by telephone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and shared what Pakistan’s Foreign Office described as the key aspects of the agreement.
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According to the Foreign Office, Dar highlighted the pact’s objectives of strengthening strategic cooperation and contributing to regional peace and security. Araghchi thanked him for sharing the details.
The two ministers also discussed regional and international developments, with particular attention to efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability.
Dar has previously described the agreement as defensive and said it is not directed against any country.
“It is not targeted against any country and its sole purpose is to further strengthen our ongoing efforts towards peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region,” Dar said.
What the Defence Agreement says
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye following a summit in Makkah.Indian Navy Escorts Crude Oil Tankers Safely Through High-Risk Bab-el-Mandeb Strait
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Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries is to be treated as an attack against all three. The agreement also provides for expanded defence cooperation among the signatories.
Pakistan has said the agreement does not replace existing bilateral or multilateral arrangements involving the three countries or other partners.
Dar also said the pact remained open to other regional countries that were willing to uphold its principles.
Regional Reaction and Diplomatic Outreach
The agreement has generated wider regional interest as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye seek to deepen their strategic and defence cooperation.
The Print reported on August 11 that Islamabad had directed restaurants and cafés in the capital to illuminate their premises in Pakistan’s red and green colours as part of celebrations linked to the agreement. The report also said fireworks had been reported in parts of the country.
Iran reacts to the new defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. CREDIT: The AZB.
The agreement itself followed nearly a year of discussions, according to ThePrint, and the joint statement described it as being rooted in the three countries’ historical ties, Islamic solidarity, shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation.
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Dar has also discussed the agreement with officials from other countries, including Kuwait, Canada and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the Pakistani Foreign Office.
Iran-Pakistan Ties remain Central
Baqaei said Tehran considered its relationship with Pakistan particularly important and indicated that bilateral engagement would continue.
“The relationship between Iran and Pakistan is a very important one. In the last seven or eight months, it has become even more important than before, for various reasons,” he said.
Iran’s response therefore stops short of rejecting the Makkah agreement outright, while emphasizing Tehran’s preference for regional security arrangements led by countries in the region.
The latest diplomatic contacts between Islamabad and Tehran suggest that Pakistan is seeking to explain the objectives of the new agreement to neighbouring and regional states as it works to expand strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
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