Saudi defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan sparks UAE backlash

Saudi defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan sparks UAE backlash Submitted by Reem Aouir on Tue, 08/11/2026 - 13:26 Abdulkhaleq Abdulla's scepticism over Mecca joint defence agreement has drawn days of sharp Saudi pushback on X Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks on after they signed a joint defence agreement in Mecca last week (Turkish Presidential Press Office/Reuters) Off A new defence agreement between Saudi Arabia , Turkey and Pakistan has reopened tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, with prominent Emirati and Saudi voices publicly clashing over the kingdom's decision to pursue a new regional security partnership beyond the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement", signed on 7 August, commits the three nations to treating an armed attack against one as an attack against all. The agreement has sparked fierce criticism from some prominent Emirati commentators who have questioned whether Riyadh is moving towards a regional security framework beyond the GCC.