Turkey's foreign minister Hakan Fidan told the local broadcaster NTV on Saturday that Ankara intends to examine any security requirements the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may have as a result of the ongoing Houthi missile and drone strikes from Yemen. The statement was reported by Middle East Eye.
Fidan framed the assessment as a component of the Joint Defence Agreement signed in August in Mecca by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The trilateral treaty obliges the three states to treat an attack on one member as an attack on all, and to cooperate on defence matters. While the pact's details remain largely confidential, the foreign minister indicated that Turkey will now look into possible assistance for Saudi forces.
The Turkish official also warned that it would be unacceptable for Saudi Arabia to become entangled in the broader confrontation between the United States and Iran. He emphasized that Riyadh has no interest in joining that conflict and that Turkey does not intend to draw the Kingdom into it. No further explanation was provided about how Turkey might help Saudi Arabia address its security concerns.
According to the same report, Fidan said that proposals aimed at ending the hostilities in the Red Sea corridor have been communicated to all parties involved. The nature of these proposals was not disclosed, but the minister suggested that diplomatic outreach is ongoing to curb the escalation of attacks that have disrupted commercial shipping and threatened regional stability.
The trilateral defence pact, which also binds Pakistan to the arrangement, reflects a broader trend of regional powers seeking security cooperation outside traditional Western alliances. Observers note that the agreement could reshape defence dynamics in the Gulf and South Asia, although the practical implications remain to be seen as the parties work through the specifics of any support measures.
Reporting attribution: based on reporting by Middle East Eye — original source: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/turkey-says-it-will-look-saudi-military-needs-part-defence-pact.