Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan Form New Defense Pact, Reshaping Middle East Security

A new trilateral defense agreement, dubbed the 'Mecca' pact, has been formed between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and nuclear-armed Pakistan. This alliance, which links Gulf and Turkish military capacity with Pakistan's nuclear status, is seen as a post-US-guarantee security bloc emerging amidst the strain of the Iran war on American commitments, potentially recalibrating deterrence against Iran and reducing Gulf dependence on Washington.