Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan Form "Mecca Pact" Mutual Defense Alliance, Reshaping Middle East Security

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and nuclear-armed Pakistan have signed the "Mecca Pact," a mutual defense agreement that creates an Article 5-style commitment among them. This pact effectively extends a nuclear umbrella over the Gulf without US involvement, significantly restructuring the Middle East's security architecture and potentially sidelining Iran's containment narrative and eroding American leverage in the region.