Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan extended an invitation on Wednesday to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to participate in an upcoming meeting of senior diplomats from Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The invitation was conveyed during a phone conversation where both ministers exchanged views on recent developments in the region and discussed initiatives aimed at fostering peace and stability.
DPM Dar accepted the invitation and confirmed his attendance at the R-4 meeting, which is scheduled to take place in Istanbul later this month. This diplomatic engagement occurs as regional powers seek to bolster security cooperation amid the ongoing conflict between the US-Israel coalition and Iran, which began on February 28. The war has significantly affected the Middle East, involving several Gulf states and disrupting maritime navigation through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The meeting follows shortly after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. This pact declares that an armed attack against any of the three signatories will be considered an attack against all. Turkey has indicated that the alliance is open to expansion, with Egypt identified as a potential new member, emphasizing that the pact does not aim to replace existing alliances.
In an interview with the state-run Anadolu news agency on August 9, Foreign Minister Fidan clarified that the alliance is not targeted against Iran or any other nation but is intended as a collective security commitment among the three countries. He highlighted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vision to extend the alliance beyond the initial trio, potentially including Egypt once technical details are finalized.
President Erdogan has also expressed hopes that additional regional countries will join the defence pact. Speaking to the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat daily, he stated that the goal is for the agreement to grow and eventually encompass all countries in the region under a unified security framework.
the Turkish defence ministry, the pact will facilitate coordination among senior ministers, joint military exercises, and enhanced cooperation in the defence industry. At a briefing in Ankara on August 13, the ministry emphasized that the agreement aims to institutionalize and sustain defence and military relations. It plans to establish strategic political and military mechanisms involving Defence Ministers, Foreign Ministers, and Chiefs of General Staff or Armed Forces Commanders from the three countries.
Joint exercises are expected to cover land, naval, and air forces, including air defence and unmanned systems, reflecting a comprehensive approach to regional security collaboration.
