Egypt may join the new defense alliance: "The agreement is not directed against Iran"
The Turkish Foreign Minister revealed that Cairo may join the defense alliance that his country signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, "after settling technical issues." He said the agreement is identical to Article 5 of NATO, according to which an attack on a member of the alliance is considered an attack on all.
Egypt may join the defense alliance signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated on Saturday evening that Cairo may join the new defense alliance "after certain technical issues are settled."
In an interview with the state-run Anadolu Agency, Fidan noted that the mutual defense agreement is effectively identical to Article 5 of NATO, according to which an attack on a member state of the alliance is considered an attack on all member states. He noted that, as in NATO, the alliance will have a ministerial committee, as well as a general secretariat to be based in Saudi Arabia.
Fidan claimed that the agreement, signed on Friday, is not directed against Iran: "Iran is not the target of the defense alliance. No one is a target, as long as they do not attack the countries that are members of the alliance." He said that maritime safety in the Red Sea concerns Turkish interests, and therefore Turkey must be involved in Saudi Arabia's international coalition.
"Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey are not countries with expansionist ambitions. The vision of our president is not to limit the agreement to these three countries only, but to expand it and, if necessary, join all nations under its umbrella," Fidan stated. He added that cooperation in the field of defense industry and technology is the most important clause in the agreement, which was negotiated over two years and eight months.
The agreement, named the "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement," was signed during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The signing comes as the three countries seek to strengthen their ability to act more independently in the face of Middle Eastern upheavals.
Earlier, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif spoke out against Israel, calling on the Islamic world to "unite to deal with the common threat posed by Israel." The agreement provides for the improvement of all aspects of defense cooperation between the three countries: oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear-armed Pakistan, and Turkey, which holds the second-largest army in NATO.
Meanwhile, CNN reported that the Iranian regime has conveyed a threatening message to Saudi Arabia, claiming the alliance will not ensure its security. A Houthi official stated that their actions against Saudi Arabia are not directed by Tehran, but are a response to the economic and aerial blockade imposed on Houthi-controlled territories.
