SCFR Online – Opinion: The presence of high-ranking delegations from the member states of the “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement” in Tehran, at a time when the region is embroiled in military tensions and the fragile process of Iran-US negotiations, is considered a turning point in the security equations of the Persian Gulf and West Asia.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey under the motto “an attack on one is an attack on all,” is viewed by some analysts less as a full-fledged military coalition and more as an attempt to reduce security dependence on an external power and to establish a regional security mechanism.