Erdoğan: Mecca Defense Agreement will strengthen regional security

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the Mecca Defense Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will strengthen regional security and stability. Erdoğan said the agreement does not target any country and is open to all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity and stability.

Erdoğan says Mecca Defense Agreement will strengthen regional security

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the Mecca Defense Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as a strategic step that will strengthen regional security and stability. Erdoğan said the arrangement is not directed against any country and is open to all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity and stability.

A shared understanding of security takes center stage

Erdoğan said the idea for the agreement emerged from the new conditions created by developments in the region and the countries’ shared sense of responsibility. He said regional states should assume greater responsibility for resolving their own problems, adding that lasting peace cannot be achieved solely by ending conflicts but also requires mutual trust, political will and a shared vision for the future.

Erdoğan said Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan bear a historic responsibility for regional stability and the prosperity of their peoples, and announced that they are open to increasing the number of countries joining the agreement. He said the Mecca Defense Agreement would mark the beginning of a new era in regional cooperation and solidarity.

The agreement does not target any country

Erdoğan said the Mecca Defense Agreement should not be interpreted as an immediate consequence of tensions between the United States and Iran. He said the agreement reaffirmed the right to self-defense defined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, emphasizing that the arrangement does not target any country.

Erdoğan said joint deterrence is one of the agreement’s core elements and announced that it aims to develop security and defense cooperation, advance joint defense industry projects and strengthen counterterrorism capabilities. He said a threat to the security of one party would be considered a common security issue for the other parties, adding that the agreement should not be viewed solely as a military arrangement.

Erdoğan calls on Middle Eastern countries to assume responsibility

Erdoğan said Middle Eastern countries should assume greater responsibility for their own security, stability and future. He said Türkiye advocates establishing an inclusive system of cooperation among the countries of the region based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual trust and common interests.

Erdoğan said regional security cannot be addressed separately from economic stability, adding that the security of the Gulf is important for energy supplies, maritime transport, international trade and global economic stability. He said the Mecca Defense Agreement would strengthen a shared understanding of security and solidarity.

Diplomatic message on the Strait of Hormuz

Erdoğan said the Strait of Hormuz is not only important regionally but also a strategically important global energy and trade route. He said the consequences of tensions there are not limited to the countries of the region. Erdoğan expressed hope that the current tensions would end soon and that the strait would continue to serve international trade safely, steadily and without interruption.

Erdoğan said the parties must act prudently and keep diplomatic channels of communication open to achieve this goal. He said lasting solutions to the problems involving the Strait of Hormuz, Ukraine and Palestine can be achieved through diplomacy and negotiations, not conflict.

Türkiye-Saudi Arabia relations

Erdoğan described relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia as strategic, saying ties between the two countries have developed on the basis of shared history, brotherhood and mutual interests. He said cooperation has advanced in the areas of the economy, trade, investment, the defense industry, energy and tourism.

Erdoğan said consultations and close cooperation between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have become more important in the face of regional problems. He said the Mecca Defense Agreement would improve bilateral relations, particularly defense cooperation, and added that new steps would be taken in the coming period.

The future of Lebanon and Syria

Erdoğan said Lebanon’s security, stability, sovereignty, political unity and territorial integrity are of great importance to the entire region. He said they oppose Lebanon being turned into a battleground for foreign powers through external intervention or military methods, adding that the Lebanese people have the right to decide their country’s future through their free will. He also said he welcomed the talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Erdoğan said Türkiye’s willingness to provide technical support and cooperation had been conveyed to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. He described the process of change in Syria as a historic turning point in terms of the Syrian people’s will to determine their future.

Erdoğan said Türkiye supports Syria’s territorial integrity, political unity and sovereignty, and that they would not allow structures to emerge in northern Syria or elsewhere in the country that could threaten Türkiye’s security. He said progress had been made in Syria since December 2024 toward improving security conditions, laying the foundations for economic development and achieving social reconciliation.

Erdoğan said Syria has demonstrated its capacity to focus on lasting security and stability while developing relations with the regional and international community and avoiding new conflicts. He said Türkiye would continue to assume responsibility for Syria’s stability, reconstruction and regional peace.