Syria weighs joining new Middle East defence alliance

Syria is evaluating its potential entry into a mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced on Saturday that discussions are currently active to assess whether Damascus will join the agreement.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed in August in the Saudi city of Mecca. The treaty stipulates that an attack on any one signatory is considered an attack on all three. Analysts have compared the structure to the NATO security alliance, which binds the United States, Canada, and 30 European countries.

Saudi Arabia currently serves as a key backer for the Syrian government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. That administration assumed power following the fall of former strongman Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Riyadh has faced heavy fire from Yemen’s Houthis, an Iran-backed group. Under the new pact, Pakistan and Turkiye pledged military support to Riyadh in response to escalating attacks. However, neither Islamabad nor Ankara has announced specific strikes against the Houthis to date.

In Turkiye, where the ratification process for the agreement is ongoing, officials clarified the scope of their commitment. They stated that any future military support for Riyadh would not involve deploying Turkish troops to fight in Yemen or launching direct attacks on the Houthis.

Speaking at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain, al-Shaibani described Damascus as an integral part of regional security. He stated that Syria would support any framework aimed at protecting regional stability. The minister emphasized that the region is in greater need than ever of developing joint deterrence and defence systems.

Al-Shaibani also voiced support for the Saudi-backed government in Yemen. He said Syria backs efforts to restore sovereignty and stability across that territory as it battles the Houthis. He urged all parties to support the unity and sovereignty of states.

In a separate address, the minister cited specific figures regarding Israeli actions. He stated that Israel has carried out more than 1,000 attacks on Syria in less than two years, killing dozens of people. He questioned how calls for border control and state control of weapons are justified while Syrian sovereignty is violated and targeted on a daily basis.