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defence agreement

Ishaq Dar briefs Iran leadership on Makkah defence agreement

by
Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has briefed Iranian leadership on the key points of the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office spokesperson, Dar held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqhchi, during which the two leaders discussed regional and international developments, efforts for peace and stability, and matters of mutual interest.

Dar informed Araqhchi about the main features of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, saying the pact aims to strengthen strategic cooperation and contribute to regional peace and security.

Araqhchi thanked Dar for sharing details of the agreement and briefing him on its important aspects. Both foreign ministers agreed to maintain close contact on issues of mutual interest.

Separately, Dar also spoke with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who congratulated Pakistan on the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.

The two ministers reviewed regional developments, including the situation in the occupied East Jerusalem, and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, investment and coordination following the Kuwaiti foreign minister’s recent visit to Pakistan.

Dar also held telephone conversations with the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and former presidents of Guinea-Bissau, briefing them on the defence agreement.

He described the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement as an important step toward strengthening strategic cooperation, regional peace, stability and security.

Erdogan says defence pact open to peace-seeking countries in region

by
Erdogan

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the defence agreement signed between Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is open to the participation of all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity and stability in the region.

In a statement, Erdoğan said he visited Makkah at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, where he met with the Saudi leader and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before signing the trilateral defence agreement.

Erdoğan said the pact, based on collective defence capabilities, would further strengthen security and defence cooperation among the three countries. He added that it would support joint projects in the defence industry and enhance cooperation against terrorism.

The Turkish president said the agreement reaffirms the right to self-defence outlined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, stressing that the pact is not directed against any country.

He said Turkiye would continue to support resolving conflicts and crises through dialogue and diplomacy, expressing hope that the agreement would become a source of peace, stability and prosperity for the entire region.

Meanwhile, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the agreement would contribute to regional peace and have positive effects across the region.

Faisal said the joint defence pact reflects Saudi Arabia’s strong relations with Pakistan and Turkiye and represents an important milestone in defence cooperation. He added that the Makkah Defence Agreement demonstrates a shared political commitment to protecting peace and stability.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye signed the agreement in Makkah, under which an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all three nations.