Key development: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have reached a mutual defence pact, a significant shift in regional alliance that comes against the backdrop of the Iran conflict.
Geopolitics & Security
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey have agreed to treat an attack on one as an attack on all, according to a new defence pact. France24 reports the pact was signed Friday, while Euronews indicates the leaders met in Jeddah to formalise the joint agreement. The move locks three major Sunni powers into a formal military bloc, which changes the calculus for everyone in the region. (france24, euronews)
Context: The leaders — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif — held talks in Jeddah. France 24 reports a mutual defence agreement already signed, stating that “any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all.” Euronews, however, characterises the meeting as a step to formalise the agreement. Both sources tie the move to regional powers seeking to strengthen security ties amid the US-Iran war and its fallout. Analysts expect closer military coordination among the three going forward.
The US is trying to round up a naval mission for the Strait of Hormuz, but Europe isn’t signing up. The UK and France are basically holding back because they don’t want to get dragged into a fight they openly disagreed with. (aljazeera)
Context: The US push for a naval coalition to confront Iran is hitting a wall. Analysts say European governments made it clear they rejected this war from the start, and they’re wary of any move that could be seen as a direct provocation against Tehran. It’s a visible split between Washington and its traditional allies.
Sources: aljazeera
What to watch: Whether the US goes it alone in Hormuz without the UK and France, or presses harder for coalition partners — and whether the defence pact’s formalisation proceeds as reported.