"When Muslims stand together, we can face every challenge": Araghchi welcomes 'Mecca Joint Defence Agreement'
Tehran, August 8
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday called on Islamic nations to strengthen regional solidarity and rely on internal capabilities rather than foreign powers, following what he described as a demonstration of strength by Iran's military against the United States.
In a post on X, Araghchi praised the performance of Iran's military forces while advocating for unity among neighbouring and Muslim-majority states to confront external threats.
"Iran's Powerful Armed Forces have shown their readiness, capability, and might in face of the world's most expensive military," Araghchi wrote, referring to the US armed forces.
"When Muslims stand together, we can face every challenge by malicious outsiders head-on," he added. "Time to rely only on ourselves and embrace true brotherhood."
The foreign minister's remarks followed the signing of a tripartite joint defence agreement in Mecca by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan against the backdrop of the escalating conflict in West Asia. The accord, titled the "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement", seeks to solidify military collaboration among the three nations amidst mounting regional security threats.
"The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three States," the summit statement read.
The agreement was executed during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia.
The security move comes as Saudi Arabia, having sustained numerous strikes amid the ongoing conflict in Iran, had been seeking to broaden its security partnerships. The kingdom's key infrastructure and petroleum assets were targeted in successive drone and missile operations launched by Iran and its regional proxies, including the Houthis and Iraqi militia groups.
Furthermore, the pact coincides with escalating friction between Turkey and Israel regarding Gaza and broader regional hostilities, encompassing the conflicts in Iran and Lebanon.
The development follows US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) expressing confidence that the conflict involving Iran would end "pretty soon," saying that he believes the Islamic Republic "can't go much longer". He also voiced optimism over ongoing negotiations related to the Strait of Hormuz, while reaffirming the commitment to prevent Iran from posessing a nuclear weapon.
Trump also expressed optimism about negotiations concerning the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes for oil shipments.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting timing for this 'Mecca Joint Defence Agreement' - Saudi Arabia has been hit hard by drone strikes, and Turkey wants to project power. But Pakistan signing a defence pact with a NATO member (Turkey) while still relying on Chinese weapons? The geopolitics here is complicated. India needs to watch these developments carefully since Pakistan is involved. 🤔
Every country wants to protect its own interests, and these kind of regional defence pacts are nothing new. But the mention of "relying only on ourselves" - is that realistic when Saudi Arabia literally bought Chinese DF-21 missiles and Turkey uses Russian S-400 systems? These alliances are often more symbolic than practical. India's policy of non-alignment and diversified partnerships seems more pragmatic in comparison.
As someone who works in global trade, I'm most concerned about the Strait of Hormuz implications. India imports a large portion of its crude oil from this region. Any further escalation or blockade would directly impact our fuel prices and economy. I hope diplomatic channels remain open and this agreement doesn't lead to more aggressive posturing in the region.
Iran's foreign minister talking about unity while his country has been supporting proxies that attack Saudi infrastructure? Pot calling the kettle black! That said, the US has also been heavy-handed in the region for decades. India has always called for restraint and peaceful resolution through dialogue. We have 9 million NRIs in the Gulf working and sending money home - nobody wants this situation to spiral out of control. 🙏
This is clearly a defensive move by Saudi Arabia after getting repeatedly targeted by Iranian drones and
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.