Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan are finalizing a trilateral defense agreement that would expand an existing bilateral Saudi-Pakistani security pact into a broader regional alliance, according to multiple diplomatic sources. The deal marks a significant shift in Middle Eastern security architecture as Gulf states seek to bolster collective defenses amid the ongoing US-Iran war.
The agreement builds on the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September 2025, which declared that aggression against either nation would be treated as aggression against both. Turkey’s entry into the arrangement transforms it into a three-nation security bloc spanning NATO membership, nuclear capability, and Gulf state resources.
Saudi Arabia had previously ruled out Turkey’s inclusion in the pact. In January 2026, a source close to the Saudi military told AFP that the agreement was and would remain strictly bilateral with Pakistan. However, the deteriorating security environment driven by the US-Iran conflict appears to have prompted a reversal of that position.
The three nations have been deepening defense ties through joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, and defense technology cooperation. Turkey and Pakistan already collaborate on military hardware, including Turkish MILGEM corvettes operated by Pakistan and the joint production of Bayraktar TB2 and AKINCI combat drones. Saudi Arabia signed a $3.1 billion deal with Turkey for AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
The expansion of the pact comes as Gulf states face heightened security concerns. Iran has repeatedly struck targets across the region during its five-month conflict with the United States, including attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has also proposed its own regional defense pact that would include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan, though that proposal has gained little traction.
Analysts note the pact raises questions about Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella extending to Saudi Arabia. Pakistani Defense Minister Khwaja Asif has previously suggested the agreement could include provisions for extended nuclear deterrence, though neither government has confirmed this publicly. The arrangement would give Saudi Arabia a security guarantee backed by a nuclear-armed state without requiring a formal US treaty commitment.
The trilateral deal also positions the three nations as an alternative security framework to US-led arrangements in the region. Turkey remains a NATO member hosting American nuclear weapons at Incirlik Air Base, yet has increasingly pursued independent regional security partnerships. The emerging alliance could reshape the balance of power in the Middle East as traditional US security guarantees face scrutiny amid the Iran conflict.
Officials from all three countries are expected to finalize the agreement in the coming weeks, though specific timelines have not been disclosed. The development is being closely watched by Washington, Tehran, and regional rivals as it could alter the strategic calculations underpinning the current US-Iran confrontation.
Sources: Times of Israel, Daily Sabah, Drop Site News
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