Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2026, spotlighted the Makkah defense pact with Türkiye and Pakistan as Riyadh pledged both diplomacy and a decisive response to threats against the Kingdom.
Delivering the annual royal address on behalf of King Salman to the Shoura Council, the crown prince cast the August 7 agreement—which treats an armed attack on one signatory as an attack on all—as part of joint efforts to stabilize a Middle East still absorbing Iranian, Houthi and Gulf security shocks.
Makkah defense pact in the Shoura address
According to Arab News, Mohammed bin Salman said recent attacks targeting Gulf states showed the “indivisibility of Gulf security and stability.” He vowed every effort to de-escalate tensions “without the slightest compromise on preserving our security” and said Saudi Arabia “will not hesitate to respond decisively to any threat or attack.”
The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed in Mecca by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye, expands an earlier Saudi-Pakistan mutual defense framework to include Ankara. Public details on automatic military response mechanisms remain limited; Türkiye’s parliament is still expected to take up ratification after its October recess, while military chiefs have been meeting in Riyadh to sketch operational terms of reference.
Maritime alliance, energy markets and Gaza
The crown prince also highlighted a Saudi-led Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance aimed at protecting international waterways from political or economic coercion—an agenda that overlaps with ongoing Strait of Hormuz diplomacy among Iran, the U.S. and Qatar. He warned of a global energy crisis and said the Kingdom had kept oil flowing despite escalating tensions.
On Gaza, he condemned attacks on Palestinians and violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque, urging the UN Security Council to pursue a lasting political solution and an independent Palestinian state under international law. On Yemen, he reiterated support for the Yemeni government’s campaign against Iran-backed Houthis—fighting that has included recent Yemeni advances around Taiz and earlier Houthi pressure on Saudi’s Yanbu corridor.
Sudan, Yemen and Vision 2030 notes
Beyond the defense pact, the crown prince reiterated support for Sudan’s unity and legitimate institutions and for Yemeni efforts to restore state authority. He said Vision 2030 reforms had strengthened economic resilience as regional and global conditions shift—linking domestic transformation to the Kingdom’s harder external security posture.
What the pact does—and does not—replace
Analysts note the trilateral deal diversifies Saudi security options without substituting for U.S. weapons, intelligence and air defenses. For Pakistan, the pact deepens strategic ties with two major Sunni powers amid separate flashpoints such as the Indus Waters Treaty dispute with India. Until ratification and joint plans mature, the Makkah framework remains more political deterrent than ready expeditionary alliance—but Wednesday’s Shoura speech made clear Riyadh wants that deterrent visible.