Muhammad Amanullah
Date: September 25, 2026 The True Post (Web News) —NEW YORK: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have reaffirmed their support for the Kingdom’s security and defence following a high-level meeting in New York under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, as attacks linked to Yemen’s Houthi movement have intensified.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the implementation and institutionalisation of the trilateral defence agreement.
The meeting reviewed progress on establishing the agreement’s secretariat, committees and working groups, while the three foreign ministers also exchanged views on regional and international security developments. (Saudi Gazette)
Support for Saudi Arabia’s Security
The three countries condemned attacks targeting Makkah as well as civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia.
According to the joint position announced after the meeting, Saudi Arabia has the right to take necessary and appropriate measures to defend its territory and people in accordance with international law. The ministers also praised Saudi Arabia’s armed forces for their response to the attacks. (Al Jazeera)
The discussions come amid a new escalation involving Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory. Saudi authorities have reported interceptions of ballistic missiles launched from Yemen, including attacks directed towards areas such as Taif and Yanbu. (Al Jazeera)
Emergency Meeting of Military Chiefs Planned
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye are also preparing an urgent meeting of their military chiefs to discuss ways of supporting the Kingdom under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
The timing of the meeting and the precise form of any possible assistance have not yet been publicly disclosed. The announcement therefore does not by itself indicate that the three countries have agreed to any specific military operation. (Al Arabiya English)
The proposed meeting is expected to provide a military-level forum for discussing the security situation and possible forms of cooperation in response to the attacks.
‘Attack on One Is an Attack on All’
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on August 7, establishes a collective-defence framework under which an armed attack against one member is treated as an attack against all three.
The three countries subsequently began work on institutionalising the agreement. At their first Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting in Istanbul on August 31, officials discussed the alliance’s institutional structure and deeper military cooperation. (Dawn)
The agreement has also been described by officials as a framework for strengthening regional security cooperation and collective deterrence.
Iran’s Position on the Houthis
The latest diplomatic developments came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed Iran’s relationship with the Houthis in an interview with Fox News.
Pezeshkian said the Houthis were responsible for their own actions and did not take directions from Tehran. He said Iran maintained contacts with the group but rejected the characterization of the relationship as a systematic command structure. (Anadolu Agency)
His comments came amid growing international attention on the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and the wider conflict in Yemen.
Hakan Fidan Defends the Defence Pact
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has also responded to criticism of the newly established defence arrangement.
Speaking at a Türkiye-US relations panel in New York, Fidan argued that it was too early to judge the new alliance on the basis of the decade-long Yemen conflict.
During the discussion, Fidan referred to NATO’s Article 5 collective-defence provision. After former US Ambassador to Türkiye James Jeffrey indicated that he had spent about 50 years in the military, Fidan asked how many times NATO’s Article 5 had been invoked during that period. The response was once.
Fidan used the example to argue that established alliances also have limited experience formally invoking collective-defence provisions and said the Makkah agreement had only recently begun its work. (İletişim Başkanlığı)
Defence Cooperation Between the Three Countries
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye already have defence and military ties in several areas. The Makkah agreement provides a formal framework for expanding political, military and security coordination among the three countries.
Officials have been working on institutional structures and mechanisms intended to make cooperation under the agreement more systematic.
Fidan has said the three countries have a roadmap for the regional security structure and that other countries could potentially be invited to join once the framework is institutionalised. (İletişim Başkanlığı)
Regional Security Situation
The New York meeting comes at a time of heightened security tensions around Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Houthis have claimed attacks against Saudi targets, while Saudi authorities have reported intercepting missiles launched from Yemen.
The latest developments have placed the recently established Makkah defence framework under increased attention, particularly regarding how the three countries will coordinate their responses to threats against a member state.
For now, the three governments have publicly reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself and announced plans for further military-level consultations. The details of any future operational cooperation will depend on subsequent discussions among the countries’ defence and military leaderships. (Al Jazeera)
