Defence-pact

Amid the Gaza crisis and the confrontation between the United States and Iran, a group of “moderate Muslim-majority states” aligned with neither Israel nor Iran has been gaining prominence. Saudi Arabia built upon its mutual defence agreement with Pakistan in 2025 and concluded the “Mecca Joint Defence Agreement” with Pakistan and Türkiye on 7 August 2026. With the prospect of further institutionalisation and an expansion of its membership, this trilateral partnership has the potential to develop into a third force alongside the “Abraham Accords” camp and the so-called “Axis of Resistance.” The implication of this observation is significant from the perspective of geopolitical theory.