President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the Makkah Defense Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan was a strategic step that would strengthen regional security and stability. Erdoğan said the agreement did not target any country and was open to all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity and stability.
The agreement took shape after regional developments
Erdoğan said the idea for the agreement emerged from new conditions created by developments in the region and a shared sense of responsibility. Erdoğan said regional countries should assume greater responsibility for resolving their own issues, adding that lasting peace required not only an end to conflicts but also mutual trust, political will and a shared vision for the future.
Erdoğan said Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan bore a historic responsibility for regional stability and the prosperity of their peoples, adding that they were open to increasing the number of countries party to the agreement. He said the Makkah Defense Agreement opened the door to a new era of regional cooperation and solidarity.
No country is being targeted
Erdoğan said the agreement should not be viewed as an immediate consequence of tensions between the United States and Iran. He said the agreement also reaffirmed the right to self-defense defined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, emphasizing that the arrangement did not target any country.
Erdoğan said the agreement was based on common deterrence and explained that it aimed to develop security and defense cooperation, advance joint defense industry projects and strengthen counterterrorism capabilities. He said a threat to the security of one party would be considered a common security issue for the other parties, adding that the agreement should not be viewed solely as a military arrangement.
Call for greater responsibility from regional countries
Erdoğan said Middle Eastern countries should assume greater responsibility for their own security, stability and future. He said Türkiye advocated establishing an inclusive system of cooperation among regional countries based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual trust and shared interests.
Erdoğan said regional security and economic stability could not be considered separately, noting that the security of the Gulf was important for energy supplies, maritime transportation, international trade and global economic stability. He said the Makkah Defense Agreement would strengthen the understanding of shared security and solidarity in the region.
Emphasis on diplomacy for the Strait of Hormuz
Erdoğan said the Strait of Hormuz was a strategic energy and trade passage of not only regional but also global importance, adding that the effects of tensions in the strait were not limited to regional countries. Erdoğan said he hoped the current tensions would end soon and that the strait would continue to serve international trade safely, steadily and without interruption.
Erdoğan said the parties needed to act prudently and keep diplomatic communication channels open to achieve this goal. He said lasting solutions to the issues involving the Strait of Hormuz, Ukraine and Palestine lay not in conflict but in diplomacy and negotiations.
Relations with Saudi Arabia
Erdoğan described relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia as strategic, saying that their ties had taken shape on the basis of a shared history, brotherly relations and mutual interests. He said the two countries were developing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, defense industry, energy and tourism.
Erdoğan said the importance of consultation and close cooperation between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia had increased in the face of regional issues. He said the Makkah Defense Agreement would advance bilateral relations, particularly defense cooperation, and that new steps would be taken in the coming period.
Assessment of Lebanon and Syria
Erdoğan said Lebanon's security, stability, sovereignty, political unity and territorial integrity were of great importance for the entire region. He said they opposed Lebanon being turned into an arena of conflict for foreign powers through external intervention or military methods. Erdoğan said the Lebanese people had the right to freely determine the future of their country and welcomed the talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Erdoğan said Türkiye's willingness to provide technical support and cooperation had been conveyed to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. He described the process of change in Syria as a historic turning point in terms of the Syrian people's will to determine their future.
Erdoğan said Türkiye defended Syria's territorial integrity, political unity and sovereignty, adding that they would not allow structures to emerge in the north or any other part of the country that could threaten Türkiye's security. Erdoğan said progress had been made in Syria since December 2024 toward improving security conditions, laying the foundations for economic development and achieving social reconciliation.
Erdoğan said Syria had demonstrated its ability to focus on lasting security and stability while avoiding new conflicts as it developed relations with the regional and international community. He said Türkiye would continue to assume responsibility for Syria's stability, reconstruction and regional peace.
