Ex-Pakistani General: Makkah Pact Useless Without Iran

A defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan in Makkah last week has a serious weakness, according to a former senior Pakistani general. Without Iran’s participation, the pact will not be effective.

Any regional security framework or architecture that does not include Iran will only be cosmetic, said former Pakistan Army Frontier Corps commander Lieutenant General (Retired) Tariq Khan. ‘The non-inclusion of Iran appears to be a serious weakness,’ Khan told Al Jazeera regarding the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

‘At first glance, this appears to be an attempt to fill the security vacuum emerging from the changing role of the United States in the region. The US has clearly given its blessing and approved this move—are they looking for an autonomous entity in this region to replace their own presence ahead of an imminent troop withdrawal?’ Khan asked.

Thus, ‘the non-inclusion of Iran—one of the major military powers in the region—creates a clear strategic contradiction. This raises questions about the viability of the agreement,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, have discussed the Makkah security pact recently signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that the discussion took place during a telephone conversation today, and the two ministers ‘exchanged views on regional and international developments’ with a focus on ‘efforts to promote peace and stability.’ The report also mentioned that Dar briefed Araghchi on the main points of the pact.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Egypt could join the significant joint defence agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, which was signed in Makkah last week. Egypt’s accession could significantly bolster the agreement among these Muslim nations. Fidan told Anadolu Agency’s ‘Editors’ Desk’ programme that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vision is to expand the scope of the pact to other countries in the region. However, he stressed that the agreement—which stipulates that an attack on one party is considered an attack on all three—is purely defensive, and they have no expansionist ambitions.