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Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a trilateral defence pact in Mecca, according to multiple reports. The agreement stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all, as reported by Al Jazeera, BBC, TASS and others.

The pact was signed at a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to the BBC and TASS. The signing took place in the Saudi city of Mecca, as reported by Al Jazeera and the BBC.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the pact is broadly consistent across the outlets. Al Jazeera reported the signing and the mutual defence clause in two separate pieces, one noting that the pact aims to deter aggression. The BBC reported the agreement and the meeting of the three leaders, adding that Pakistan's foreign ministry said an attack on any of the three states "shall be regarded as an attack against them all." TASS also reported the signing, citing Al Arabiya, and said the agreement aims to bolster collective deterrence.

France 24 and the Jerusalem Post reported that the three countries were expected to sign the agreement on Friday in Jeddah, citing sources from AFP and Reuters. The Jerusalem Post noted that the pact would deepen cooperation between Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad. France 24 attributed the agreement to growing tensions and the ongoing war between the US and Iran.

Al Jazeera also published an analytical piece suggesting the pact challenges the US role in the region, with defence analyst Alex Alfirraz Scheers saying it reflects growing doubts over the US as a reliable security guarantor.

Key Claims

  • Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a trilateral defence pact, as reported by Al Jazeera, BBC and TASS.
  • The pact states that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all, as reported by Al Jazeera, BBC and TASS.
  • The agreement was signed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Erdogan and Prime Minister Sharif, as reported by the BBC and TASS.
  • The agreement aims to bolster collective deterrence against any potential aggression, as reported by TASS, citing Al Arabiya.
  • The agreement is a response to growing tensions and the ongoing war between the US and Iran, as reported by France 24 and the Jerusalem Post.
  • The pact challenges the US role in the region, as stated by Al Jazeera's defence analyst.
  • The pact gives Saudi Arabia a stronger deterrence posture, as stated by the same analyst.