- Chiefs praise Saudi armed forces’ vigilance and professionalism.
- Three countries discuss intelligence sharing, military coordination.
- Reaffirm pledge to defending Saudi security, sovereignty, integrity.
Military chiefs from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye have pledged to “immediately translate” the commitments of the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance (MJDA) into effective military cooperation.
The pledge came at a meeting of the Chiefs of Defence Forces and Chiefs of General Staff of the three countries in Riyadh on Friday, where they reviewed the security situation and threats facing Saudi Arabia, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The military chiefs “strongly condemned” attacks targeting the holy city of Makkah as well as civilian and economic infrastructure, while praising the “vigilance and professionalism” of the Saudi Armed Forces in protecting the kingdom and its people.
They discussed ways to strengthen military cooperation, including intelligence sharing, military coordination and integration of defence capabilities, to bolster deterrence and collective defence.
The participants also highlighted the “longstanding relations and mutual trust” between the three countries, saying the Riyadh meeting reflected the strength of their defence partnership.
They reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence and the three countries’ resolve to defend the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia.
The MJDA was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 7, 2026, during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence.
Under the pact, initially called the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all three.
The agreement provides for closer defence cooperation among the three countries, including stronger coordination and joint military exercises.
The three sides also agreed to establish political and military mechanisms involving their defence and foreign ministers and military chiefs.
The pact was renamed the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance following the first meeting of its Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Istanbul on August 31.
Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the alliance’s secretariat would be established in Riyadh and its first secretary general would be from Pakistan.
Pakistan subsequently appointed retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary general, with the General Secretariat being established in Riyadh.
The possibility of expanding the alliance has also been raised. Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said on Friday that the MJDA could eventually become a broader security arrangement for the Muslim world, adding that Iran could also join the pact.
He said Turkiye did not view the agreement as being directed against Iran.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had also backed Iran’s inclusion in a broader regional security framework, saying Tehran’s participation could contribute to regional stability.
2026-09-26 00:56:00
News Source
