ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump on Monday welcomed the recently signed defense agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, describing it as an important step toward bolstering the three nations' collective defense.
"Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement," Trump said in an overnight post on his Truth Social platform.
"It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way," he added, congratulating the leaders of the three countries and calling the pact a "BIG, BOLD, AND IMPORTANT FIRST STEP."
The comments come days after Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement during a summit in the Saudi city of Mecca hosted by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the event.
According to a trilateral joint statement, the agreement, signed on August 7, reflects the three countries' "shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future."
The pact builds on the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement established between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September and expands it to include Turkey. The agreement states that "any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all" and is "intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression."
The agreement was signed against the backdrop of heightened regional instability following the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has fueled a broader confrontation involving Iran-backed armed groups across the region. The three countries also pledged to support efforts aimed at resolving the conflict between Iran and the United States.
The deal follows a series of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi territory and shipping routes. Last week, 11 civilians were injured in Saudi Arabia's Najran province after Houthi missile and drone attacks targeted border areas, underscoring growing concerns about regional security and the vulnerability of key maritime trade corridors.
Saudi Arabia has recently intensified efforts to build broader security partnerships. In late July, the kingdom hosted military officials from 43 countries and the European Union to discuss the creation of a multinational defense coalition aimed at protecting major maritime trade routes across the region.
