Trilateral ‘Makkah Accord’ Seals Mutual-Defense Bloc of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia & Türkiye

Muslim-world defence pacts have surfaced before—the 1955 Baghdad Pact and 1969 Islamic Conference’s ‘defence cooperation’ rhetoric—but each faltered amid rivalries and super-power entanglements. The Makkah Accord arises as U.S. reliability is questioned (echoes of Britain’s waning sway when CENTO collapsed in 1979) and as Gulf states diversify security hedges while Iran–U.S. skirmishes unsettle energy lanes. Unlike earlier Arab-only arrangements, this triad mixes Saudi capital, Turkish industrial muscle and Pakistan’s nuclear-armed army, hinting at a nascent indigenous deterrent architecture. Over a 100-year horizon the accord could either mature into an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation security pillar or, like SEATO, recede once immediate threats ebb; its durability will hinge on whether the members align strategic interests beyond symbolism and manage historic Saudi-Turkish competition for regional leadership.