Erdogan seeks expansion of Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday his aspiration for the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to include more countries. The agreement was signed last Friday between Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, aiming to enhance regional stability.

The backdrop to this agreement is the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, particularly due to the fallout from the US-Iran war, which has involved several regional actors and affected maritime shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

Erdogan highlighted the significance of the agreement, emphasizing that it is part of a broader vision to strengthen cooperation among nations in the region, although he did not specify which countries he hoped would join.