From the Mecca defense pact to the Tehran talks: Is the security landscape in the Middle East changing?

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are holding talks with Tehran, while strengthening their military readiness under the terms of the Mecca Defense Alliance.

Senior military and security officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are holding talks with Iranian officials in Tehran, as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the United States continue.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are members of the Mecca Defense Alliance, a security alliance created amid regional instability and concerns about threats linked to Iran and its allies, the Telegraph reports.

The three countries have now returned to direct talks with Tehran over regional security, even as the alliance faces increasing pressure from attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin are attending talks in Tehran on Monday, according to Saudi and Iranian officials.

They are reportedly meeting with Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the meeting as a possible step towards establishing cooperative regional security mechanisms.

Speaking at his weekly press conference in Tehran, Baghaei reiterated Iran's long-standing call for what he described as "endogenous security," a framework that would rely primarily on the capabilities and interests of regional countries.

Mecca Pact: collective defense against regional threats

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in August 2026. According to the pact, an armed attack against one of the members is considered an attack against all three, requiring the others to provide assistance.

The deal brings together Saudi Arabia's financial resources and influence in global energy markets, Pakistan's nuclear capabilities, and Turkey's advanced defense industry and NATO membership.

Although the agreement was signed amid growing concerns about Iran and its proxies, Turkish officials have insisted that it is not directed against Tehran or any other specific country. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an interview with Anadolu on August 8 that the agreement did not identify any country as a common threat. He explained that countries would not be considered targets unless they attacked a signatory.

The agreement has received approval in Pakistan, while Turkey has presented it to parliament, but has not yet completed the ratification process.

Houthi attacks test collective defense

The increasing missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthis against Saudi Arabia have presented the Mecca alliance with its first major test.

At an emergency meeting in Riyadh on October 5, the three countries agreed to move towards implementing their collective defense commitments, including measures to ensure the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.

The commitments were outlined in a joint statement published by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

However, Ankara has drawn a dividing line between supporting Saudi Arabia's defense and joining offensive military operations against the Houthis inside Yemen.

At a press conference on October 8 in Ankara, Fidan said the agreement was defensive and ruled out sending Turkish troops to another country to carry out attacks.

Instead, Turkey has assessed potential contributions in areas such as air defense, electronic warfare, and technical assistance.

Therefore, the three countries are pursuing direct engagement with Tehran, strengthening their military preparedness under the terms of an alliance designed to deter attacks on its members.

Why engage with Tehran?

Pakistan has played a mediating role between Tehran and Washington in recent months. Saudi Arabia is seeking to contain the threat posed by Houthi attacks on its territory and infrastructure, while Turkey has sought to prevent further regional escalation.

Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, Rayed Krimly, said in an October 26 post on X that the visit to Tehran was part of ongoing efforts by the Mecca pact countries to reduce tensions and encourage diplomatic solutions.

He said the talks were also aimed at supporting mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan.

The Saudi statement suggests that talks with Iran are being pursued alongside the alliance's defense commitments, rather than necessarily representing a fundamental change in the pact's purpose.

Military deterrence or regional security?

Tehran’s emphasis on country-led security arrangements appears, at least in principle, to share some common ground with the Mecca pact’s stated objective of strengthening security cooperation among regional states. However, important differences remain.

Saudi Arabia maintains extensive security ties with the United States, Turkey is a member of NATO, and Pakistan continues to pursue defense partnerships with several major powers. Meanwhile, no agreement on a new joint regional security mechanism has been announced.

However, the Tehran meeting highlights an important development: Three countries that have created a mutual defense alliance in response to growing regional security threats are now also pursuing direct dialogue with Iran.

The key question is whether this dual approach can have a lasting impact on regional tensions.

The GeoPost