Yemen hails Türkiye-Saudi-Pakistan defense pact as 'strategic step'

Yemen praises trilateral pact

Yemen's Foreign Ministry on Saturday welcomed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, describing the pact as "a strategic step and an important milestone" in defense cooperation among the three countries. The ministry said the agreement reflects shared political will to unify efforts against threats to regional stability and international maritime routes.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the agreement on Friday in Mecca. The pact considers an armed attack against any of the three countries an attack against all of them and aims to strengthen collective deterrence while expanding defense cooperation.

Regional security challenges

The Yemeni ministry emphasized the pact's importance amid escalating regional threats. "The agreement is of particular importance in light of the escalating challenges and threats facing the region, foremost among them terrorist attacks, arms smuggling, and threats targeting neighboring countries and international maritime routes," the ministry said.

The trilateral agreement follows years of consultations among Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad aimed at coordinating responses to shared security challenges. It comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz following the conflict between Iran and the US, which has raised concerns over global energy supplies despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to preserve freedom of navigation.