ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye are expected to sign a joint defence agreement during a trilateral summit in Jeddah on Friday, as regional powers move to strengthen security ties against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran that began Feb. 28.
According to reports, the expected agreement would build on a bilateral mutual defence pact Riyadh and Islamabad signed in September 2025, committing both sides to treat any aggression against either country as an attack on both.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for an official visit lasting until Saturday, according to officials.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to arrive Friday, the Turkish presidency said.
Presidency’s Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran:
“President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will pay a one-day working visit to Saudi Arabia on 7 August 2026.
During the visit, it is envisaged that President Erdoğan will meet with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi…
— Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications (@Communications) August 6, 2026
Makkah’s Deputy Governor Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz and Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley received Sharif and the Pakistani delegation upon arrival in Jeddah.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Sharif would meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the visit, with talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations and exchanging views on regional and international developments Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is also part of the delegation after concluding a visit to Jordan.
The spokesperson said the visit is important for promoting regional peace, diplomatic cooperation and a shared strategy for stability, adding that Pakistan continued its diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East and support peaceful resolution of disputes.
Pakistan has been acting as a mediator to try to end the U.S.-Iran war that has drawn in several Gulf countries and paralysed maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has disrupted global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, with Iran effectively closing the major shipping lane since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Tehran in February.
In April this year, Pakistan sent fighter jets and other military forces to Saudi Arabia to boost security under the defence pact, the Saudi defence ministry said Islamabad has long provided military support to Riyadh, including training and advisory deployments, while Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stepped in to support Pakistan financially during periods of economic stress.
