Tehran (GNP): Iran’s foreign ministry has said the trilateral defence agreement signed between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye reflects a broader change in how regional states view the United States as a security guarantor. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei made the remarks during a weekly press briefing on Monday, days after the pact was formally signed in Makkah.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed on Friday and commits its signatories to treat an attack on any one member state as an attack on all three. Officials have described the pact as a step toward strengthening collective deterrence among the three countries, positioning it as a mechanism for regional security cooperation rather than a move directed against any specific state.
Baqaei said the agreement was “a sign of a change in the perception” of countries in the region, noting that developments over the past two to three years had convinced regional states that security could not be treated as something purchased from outside powers. He added that nations in the region had come to recognise the limits of relying on distant security guarantors and were instead turning toward their own collective capabilities.
Addressing concerns that the pact could be aimed at Tehran, Baqaei said there was no reason for Iran to view the agreement as directed against it, pointing to the deep religious, historical and civilisational ties Iran shares with Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. He said any regional security plan that is comprehensive, inclusive and correctly identifies genuine threats has the potential to strengthen stability and guard against destabilising actions by Israel and its allies.
On the question of whether Iran itself might eventually join the pact, Baqaei said Tehran has consistently supported security arrangements built on cooperation among regional states and free from outside interference. He said existing proposals along these lines remain in place and could be revisited as circumstances evolve, adding that Iran continues to engage closely with neighbouring and regional countries in the hope that recent developments push all sides toward stronger collective security arrangements.
Baqaei was also asked about Pakistan’s invitations to Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to visit Islamabad. He said such a visit would take place when the timing was appropriate, noting that bilateral relations between the two countries remain the primary consideration. He described the Iran-Pakistan relationship as significant, adding that it has grown even more important over the past seven to eight months.
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Later on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar briefed Araghchi on the details of the pact in a phone call. Dar underlined the agreement’s objectives of strengthening strategic cooperation and contributing to regional peace and security, and Araghchi thanked his counterpart for sharing the key aspects of the arrangement. The two officials also discussed regional and international developments, with particular attention to the evolving situation in the region and ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability.
The exchange followed comments made by Dar a day earlier, in which he said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement remained open to any regional country willing to uphold its founding principles, after Turkiye’s foreign minister suggested Egypt could join the arrangement.
Dar described the pact as the culmination of years of discussions and coordination among the three countries, characterising it as purely defensive in nature and not targeted against any state. He said its sole purpose was to reinforce ongoing efforts toward peace, stability and prosperity across the wider region, and clarified that the agreement does not replace or override any existing bilateral or multilateral commitments the signatory states hold with each other or with other countries and organisations.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
