Iran reportedly invited to join newly established Mecca Defense pact: What to know

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have reportedly invited Iran to join their newly established Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which was formed earlier this month.

The invitation has not been confirmed by Iran’s Foreign Ministry or by any of the three signatory parties. The head of the Iranian parliament’s Khaneh Mellet, Mehdi Rahimi said: “Iran has received an invitation to join the Mecca Agreement, and the matter is under review.”

The Mecca Agreement was primarily signed on August 7 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Shahbaz Sharif.

The agreement collective defense pact requires an offensive on any of the three countries would be treated as an act of aggression.

In this connection, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan focuses on the mechanism to Article 5 of the NATO treaty but highlighted the pact was not directed against Iran or any specific country.

The member states have begun creating frameworks for diplomatic and military coordination, including meetings among military commanders and collaboration on defense industries.

Reports that Iran was invited have been confirmed but Iranian membership would revolutionise the character of the alliance established by three countries with strong defense partnership to the West and could ultimately create a much wider geopolitical framework.