Asghar Mousavi \u2013 Expert on West Asian affairs<\/p>\n
From Distrust of the United States to Competition with the Israeli Regime<\/p>\n
The formation of the Makkah Defense Pact on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, can be assessed as a direct reaction to the gradual collapse of the security order based on US military presence in West Asia. The events of 2024 to 2026, including the direct attacks by the Israeli regime and the US joining the war against Iran, as well as Iran’s legitimate defense, demonstrated that US military bases in the region are no longer a defensive shield, but rather a legitimate target for Iran and its allies in the host countries.<\/p>\n
This pact is in fact the result of the failure of previous plans to create a “West Asian NATO”; plans that included Arab efforts in 2015, initiatives during Trump’s first presidency, and even proposals by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of the Israeli regime. All these plans failed due to internal rivalries, non-acceptance of Egypt’s leadership, geopolitical differences, and more importantly, distrust of the Israeli regime as a security guarantor.<\/p>\n
What distinguishes the Makkah Pact from previous initiatives is its internal origin and the lack of direct US or Israeli regime involvement in its design. This pact is a reaction to the competition of powers such as the United States and Europe with China and Russia, and the middle countries of the region cannot remain hostages to these conflicts.<\/p>\n
However, the objectives of the members of this pact are not identical. Saudi Arabia, which lacks a powerful army like Turkey or Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence, is considered the most vulnerable member. Turkey also seeks allies to counter the Israeli regime’s influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as threats from Kurdish groups. Pakistan, with its large population, strategic position, and nuclear arsenal, occupies a special position and seeks access to Turkish military technology and Saudi financial support.<\/p>\n
Pakistan, as the backbone of this pact, plays a dual role. On one hand, by deploying eight thousand soldiers, fighter jets, and defense systems to Saudi Arabia in May 2026, it has demonstrated its operational deterrence. On the other hand, relying on its nuclear arsenal, it gives this coalition a deterrent legitimacy at the highest level, transforming it from a regional agreement into one with global geopolitical implications.<\/p>\n
In this context, Bangladesh’s expression of interest in joining this pact is of particular importance. Bangladesh, as a populous Muslim country with a growing economy, could give this coalition political and demographic weight and transform it from a three-country pact into an Islamic-Asian bloc. Bangladesh’s role in this equation is more political and strategic than military. Bangladesh’s accession to this pact, which will likely be accompanied by Egypt’s support, could spark the formation of a broader security nucleus in the Islamic world that reduces dependence on extra-regional powers. As noted in sources, Turkey has been at the forefront of inviting Egypt to join this coalition, indicating a vision beyond the initial three members.<\/p>\n
However, the path to expanding this pact faces serious obstacles. The historical rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, disagreements over regional issues such as Libya and Syria, and differing views on the Muslim Brotherhood remain internal challenges. The Makkah Pact is more a political and security coordination tool than a full-fledged military coalition, which could become an indigenous security structure, provided its members can overcome their historical differences and define their shared interests clearly.<\/p>\n
Threat or Opportunity?<\/strong><\/p>\n Analysis of the pact’s content shows that, contrary to some speculations by Hebrew and Western media that introduced Iran as one of the main factors behind the formation of this coalition, no threat against Tehran is mentioned in its text. Turkey’s Foreign Minister has explicitly stated that there is no common definition of “threat” in this pact, and each country has joined to neutralize its “specific risks.”<\/p>\n From a strategic perspective, this pact can be assessed not as a threat, but as a potential opportunity for regional stability. The Makkah Pact indicates the maturity of regional countries to take responsibility for their own security and move toward an indigenous security structure; a structure that not only is not in conflict with Iran’s interests, but Iran could play a proportionate role in it.<\/p>\n At a time when the United States is known as an unreliable actor, this pact could provide a platform for dialogue and comprehensive regional security cooperation, similar to what is pursued in the “3+3 Platform” format for the South Caucasus. Also, as analysts have pointed out, regional countries know well that if Iran does not have a prominent and worthy role, the Israeli regime will become a regional power that disrupts the balance and poses a threat to them; therefore, a strong Iran can act as a counterbalance to Tel Aviv’s ambitions.<\/p>\n However, this opportunity is not without challenges. Any possible attempt to expand the pact in a way that becomes a coalition against Iran could lead to intensified confrontation and greater instability. Ultimately, Iran’s reaction to this pact will largely depend on the practical behavior of its members, not merely its text.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":422158,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13268,17,12726],"tags":[48736,48737,48738,48739,47998,12994,45979,48735,12752],"class_list":["post-422191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-note","category-politics","category-10-en-2","tag-asghar-mousavi","tag-indigenous-security-structure","tag-irans-role-in-west-asia","tag-islamic-asian-coalition","tag-makkah-defense-pact","tag---en","tag-scfr-online","tag-turkey-and-pakistan"],"yoast_head":"\n