Saudi Arabia, Pakistan reaffirm commitment to strengthen cooperation under Mecca pact

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation under the Mecca defense pact, according to a statement from Islamabad on Tuesday.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar made the remarks during a meeting in New York where the duo will attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on US social media platform X.

The two foreign ministers “discussed matters pertaining to the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation under the agreement and advancing regional peace, stability, and security,” said the statement.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia last year inked a bilateral defense pact, which subsequently led to the signing of a trilateral Mecca defense agreement last month, including Türkiye.

Dar expressed Pakistan’s “steadfast solidarity with the Kingdom and condemned the recent attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.”

In recent weeks, Saudi Arabia has faced attacks from Yemen's Houthi group and the two sides have engaged in aerial, missile and drone attacks amid the ongoing US-Iran war.