President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the Mecca Defense Agreement signed between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan should not be viewed as an alliance formed against Iran, Israel or any other country. Erdoğan described the agreement as an expression of the responsibility to build a safer, more peaceful and prosperous future.
Erdoğan said the agreement is based on Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which governs the right to self-defense. Under the agreement, an armed attack against one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all parties.
Erdoğan said the response under the agreement would be determined according to the request and needs of the country under attack. He said intelligence, logistical and ammunition support could be provided, while more comprehensive military support could also be considered depending on the scale of the threat. He added that the form of implementation would be determined through political and military mechanisms.
Erdoğan said it would not be right to write an automatic military scenario in advance for every incident that might occur in Iraq, Yemen or elsewhere. He said Türkiye aims to strengthen regional security, increase its deterrence capacity and support lasting stability.
The agreement was signed in Mecca
The Mecca Defense Agreement was signed in Mecca on August 7 by President Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The agreement aims to strengthen regional and international security, peace and stability, as well as increase joint deterrence in the face of growing instability.
Erdoğan stresses diplomacy
Erdoğan said the world is experiencing serious turmoil, with the Russia-Ukraine war continuing to the north of Türkiye and various conflicts ongoing to its south and east. Erdoğan said these developments directly affect the region’s security, economy and stability, adding that in such periods it is the shared responsibility of the international community to expand the space for diplomacy rather than narrow it.
Erdoğan said Türkiye’s priorities at the United Nations General Assembly are to prevent conflicts from spreading across a wider geography, keep channels of dialogue open and help the parties return to the negotiating table. He said Türkiye is able to communicate with the parties to conflicts and undertake initiatives for peace.
Call for United Nations reform
Erdoğan said the centers of power in the world are changing and that, with new power centers emerging, more countries are demanding their rightful place in global decision-making mechanisms. Erdoğan said the United Nations must not fall behind these changes and called for the Security Council to be made more representative, effective and accountable.
Erdoğan said reforming the international system can no longer be postponed. He called for an order in which the will of the General Assembly is reflected more strongly in decision-making processes and responsibilities are distributed more fairly.
Message on negotiations over US-Iran tensions
Erdoğan said steps that could escalate tensions between Iran and the United States should be avoided and that the parties should be brought together at the negotiating table. He said a lasting solution could be achieved only in this way, adding that the United States is Türkiye’s ally in NATO and Iran is its neighbor.
Erdoğan said Türkiye’s channels of communication with its Iranian counterparts remain open and are being used to reduce tensions. He said tensions in the Strait of Hormuz directly affect energy supplies and global trade, emphasizing that the priority is to prevent the conflict from spreading, protect the security of trade routes and bring the parties back to negotiations.
Türkiye-US relations
Erdoğan said he has a relationship with Donald Trump that allows him to speak with him directly and openly. He said the two leaders discussed a broad agenda during their latest meeting, including the issue of Iran, regional security, Gaza and bilateral relations.
Erdoğan said open communication between leaders makes it easier to manage differences and find common solutions. He said the alliance between Türkiye and the United States is multidimensional and dates back decades, adding that cooperation in defense industry, trade and regional security could be further developed.
Erdoğan said Türkiye, as a sovereign state, would act in a balanced manner while taking into account its relations with its neighbors, its obligations to its allies, its regional responsibilities and its national interests. Erdoğan said it would not be right to define Türkiye-US relations through a third country, adding that Türkiye’s counterpart in Washington is the US administration.
Emphasis on Syria’s sovereignty
Commenting on Israel’s attacks against Syria and the defense agreement between Israel and Greece, Erdoğan said Türkiye does not base its foreign policy on inevitable war scenarios.
Erdoğan said Türkiye’s position on Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity is clear. He said Syria’s recovery, the strengthening of state institutions and the enhancement of its capacity to combat terrorism would benefit the entire region.
Erdoğan said attacks that disregard international law and established rules harm Syria’s sovereignty and make regional stability more difficult. He said the relations Greece or any other country develops with third countries are their own choice, adding that Türkiye closely monitors steps affecting its national security, legitimate rights and interests.
Erdoğan said the focus should be on diplomacy that can prevent a possible military conflict, rather than discussing its potential consequences for NATO in advance. He said regional security can be ensured through a structure based on alliances and partnerships that reduces tensions, strengthens deterrence and moves beyond a mutual encirclement mindset.
