ANKARA — Turkey’s push to form a security alliance with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan is facing obstacles, even as the idea has gained momentum through increased diplomatic engagement since the Iran war.

Background 

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a strategic defense pact on Sept. 17, 2025, formalizing a collective security framework under which an attack on one would be treated as an attack on both. The move is widely seen as Riyadh’s effort to bolster deterrence and diversify its military partnerships following a series of perceived American retrenchments in the region. The agreement came as strategic and economic competition between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intensified, with Yemen as a key fault line.