Iran is reportedly considering joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, potentially expanding the newly established regional security framework.
Mehdi Rahimi, head of Iran’s parliament-linked news agency Khaneh Mellat, said Tehran had received an invitation to join the defence arrangement and that the matter was currently under consideration.
Rahimi made the remarks in an interview with Al Mayadeen, although the claim has not yet been independently confirmed by Iran’s Foreign Ministry or senior Iranian leadership.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have also not publicly confirmed that Iran has formally been invited to join the agreement.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Sign Defence Pact
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Makkah on August 7.
The agreement establishes a framework for closer military and security cooperation among the three countries.
One of its key provisions states that an armed attack against any one of the participating countries would be considered an attack against all three.
The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The pact has attracted considerable regional attention because of its potential implications for defence cooperation and security coordination among the participating states.
Türkiye Says Pact Is Defensive
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan later described the agreement as technically similar to NATO’s Article 5 principle of mutual defence.
However, Fidan stressed that the agreement was not directed against Iran or any other country.
The clarification came amid wider regional discussions about security alliances and defence cooperation in the Middle East and surrounding regions.
The possibility of Iran joining the framework could therefore significantly broaden the scope of the agreement if Tehran ultimately decides to accept the reported invitation.
Pakistan Says More Countries Could Join
Pakistan has previously indicated that the defence agreement could remain open to additional countries.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the pact as defensive in nature and said countries could potentially join if they were willing to uphold its principles of cooperation, mutual respect and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Egypt has also emerged as a potential future participant.
Cairo is reportedly assessing the legal and constitutional aspects of possible membership before making a decision.
If Iran and other countries eventually join the framework, the Makkah agreement could develop into a broader regional defence and security platform.
For now, however, Iran’s reported invitation remains unconfirmed by the governments directly involved, and Tehran is said to still be considering the proposal.
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