Turkey’s parliament set to ratify defense pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan

Turkey’s parliament is set to ratify a defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that includes a collective defense clause, committing NATO’s second-largest army to Riyadh’s defense as it faces attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.

Ratification gives Ankara a formal mutual defense obligation toward Saudi Arabia, but it does not on its own send Turkish forces there. Deploying military personnel would require a separate mandate from parliament.

Turkey submitted the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement — signed by the three countries in August — to parliament for ratification last month. Under the pact — whose key clause mirrors NATO’s Article 5, under which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all — the parties plan to boost defense industry cooperation and military coordination, while creating deterrence against threats.

The pact was signed before the Houthis launched attacks against Saudi Arabia, and today’s vote comes after a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran and Washington remain far from a deal to end their war, with Houthis stepping up attacks on Riyadh.

Officials had told Reuters last month that Turkey’s contribution to Saudi Arabia was expected to be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing, and weapons systems.

A lawmaker from Turkey’s ruling party told Reuters earlier that Turkey would also submit to parliament a mandate allowing for military personnel to be deployed to Saudi Arabia under the pact, but officials have said the scope of support for the kingdom would be determined through collective consultations and in line with requests from Riyadh.