Muhammad Amanullah | September 8, 2026
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has indicated that Iran could potentially join the Makkah Defence Pact in the future, while describing the possible inclusion of Egypt and Algeria as a positive development for regional security cooperation.
Speaking at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Lavrov said that reaching an agreement on the conditions for Iran’s participation in the defence arrangement would represent an important practical step towards a regional security model that Russia has advocated for years.
Iran’s Possible Inclusion
Addressing students and faculty at MGIMO, Lavrov discussed Russia’s position on regional security cooperation in the Gulf and the wider Middle East.
He said the participation of Egypt and Algeria in the Makkah Defence Pact would be a positive development, adding that he believed the possibility could eventually emerge for Iran to become part of the regional defence framework.
According to Lavrov, broader participation could help create a more comprehensive security structure involving major regional powers.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye
The Makkah Defence Pact was agreed last month between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
Under the basic principle of the agreement, an attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three.
The pact has been described as an effort to strengthen defence cooperation among the three countries amid a changing regional security environment.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have significant military and political influence across the region and the wider Muslim world, giving the agreement broader strategic significance.
Russia’s Long-standing Position
Lavrov said Russia had proposed a concept for a common regional security framework in the Gulf nearly two decades ago.
Under the Russian proposal, Gulf Arab states, Iran and other important regional countries would be brought together on a platform where they could directly discuss their differences, concerns and grievances.
He said Moscow’s objective had been to facilitate meetings, negotiations and confidence-building measures among the parties in an effort to identify common ground on regional security.
Wider Regional Participation
According to Lavrov, Russia’s proposal also envisaged the involvement of the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in potential security talks.
He said that despite the complexity of relations among regional countries, a comprehensive dialogue process could provide a way forward on common security concerns.
Lavrov added that developments in the region had made the need for such an approach increasingly apparent.
Iran-Saudi Relations
The Russian foreign minister also referred to the improvement in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
He said the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries had been facilitated by a Chinese diplomatic initiative, while Moscow had also actively encouraged the process.
According to Lavrov, improved communication between Iran and Saudi Arabia demonstrated that regional countries could overcome differences and improve relations through dialogue and diplomatic channels.
Egypt and Algeria
Discussing the possible future scope of the Makkah Defence Pact, Lavrov said there had been indications from its supporters that the door could remain open for countries outside the Gulf to join the arrangement in the future.
He specifically highlighted Egypt, saying that Cairo’s possible participation would be significant.
Lavrov also said that if Algeria showed interest in joining, its eventual participation could have a positive impact on the wider regional security framework.
Moscow Not Seeking Leadership
Lavrov made clear that Russia was not seeking a leadership role in any regional security arrangement.
He said Moscow’s objective was not to make any single country the centre of regional security, but rather to help establish a system in which regional states could address security challenges through mutual trust and cooperation.
Russia, he suggested, would prefer to facilitate dialogue rather than impose a particular security architecture on the region.
Changing Regional Situation
Lavrov said the regional situation had undergone significant changes and that recent military tensions had raised new questions about regional stability.
Against the backdrop of military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran and possible disruptions to maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf and regional powers have been seeking to strengthen security cooperation.
The developments have added urgency to discussions about how regional countries can establish mechanisms capable of addressing emerging security threats.
Significance of the Three Countries
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye are among the region and Muslim world’s most significant military and political powers.
Türkiye is a major NATO military power, Saudi Arabia is a leading Gulf state and one of the world’s major oil exporters, while Pakistan is the world’s only Muslim-majority nuclear-armed state.
Against this backdrop, the defence agreement between the three countries is being viewed as a significant development in the regional security landscape.
Ishaq Dar’s Position
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar said on August 9 that the Makkah Defence Pact was open to all countries willing to abide by its basic principles.
He had clarified that the agreement was defensive in nature and was not directed against any country.
According to Dar, the objective of the pact was to promote mutual respect and cooperation while advancing peace, stability and prosperity in the region through peaceful means.
Lavrov’s latest remarks indicate that Moscow views the Makkah Defence Pact in the context of a potentially broader regional security architecture.
The possibility of Iran, Egypt and Algeria eventually joining the arrangement could further fuel discussions over whether the pact could evolve into a wider platform for regional defence and security cooperation.
