Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the intention to extend the defense agreement signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared on Wednesday that he wishes to expand the defense agreement signed on Friday in Mecca between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

In an interview with the pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat, Erdogan stated that he aspires to an expansion of this pact, which could allow all countries in the region to unite under its aegis, in the context of the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, has already expressed this desire, mentioning that Egypt could join in the next stage.

However, Egypt has not officially commented on this matter, and Egyptian and Saudi leaders seem to have reservations. The agreement, referred to by Erdogan as the "Mecca Agreement," aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggressions, considering an attack on any signatory country as an attack on all. Erdogan emphasized that regional issues must be resolved by local actors, without external intervention, which he considers destructive.