Senior military officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have been called to an emergency meeting to finalize how support will be extended to Saudi Arabia under a joint defense pact, following recent Houthi attacks on the kingdom.
According to Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry, top military leaders from all three nations will discuss practical mechanisms for aiding Saudi Arabia within the framework of this shared defense arrangement. The move comes amid heightened regional tensions triggered by strikes targeting Saudi territory.
Foreign Ministers Hold Key Talks in New York
Separately, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey held an important meeting in New York to discuss preparations for the military chiefs’ emergency session. Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Turkey’s Hakan Fidan were present at the discussion.
The Saudi foreign ministry stated that the meeting also reviewed progress on establishing a general secretariat, committees and working groups under the Mecca Agreement, along with preparations to begin implementing the pact.
All three foreign ministers strongly condemned the attacks on Mecca and on Saudi Arabia’s civilian and economic infrastructure. They praised the efforts of Saudi armed forces in defending the country and voiced support for Saudi Arabia’s right to self-defense.
Turkish Military Chief Heads to Saudi Arabia
In a related development, Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the country’s Chief of General Staff, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, is set to travel to Saudi Arabia today to attend a chiefs-of-staff meeting held under the Mecca Defense Agreement.
Additionally, Turkey’s parliamentary speaker said the Mecca Defense Agreement is expected to be submitted to parliament for approval next month. He noted that international agreements require parliamentary ratification before implementation, adding that all meetings currently taking place under the pact remain part of its early, preliminary phase.
The developments signal growing coordination between the three nations as they work to operationalize the defense pact amid ongoing security concerns in the region.
