Saber Gul Anbari
The New Arab / August 8, 2026
Iran has reacted to the Mecca Defence Agreement cautiously, calling for Muslim unity while seeing itself as a potential target of the new deal.
Tehran – The signing of the Mecca Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan on Friday has prompted mixed reactions in Iran.
Some Iranian observers have called for greater cooperation among Muslim countries as a result, as well as a regional alliance against Israel.
However, many in Iran believe that the alliance also targets them. It comes at a time of war which has seen Iran bomb Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, saying this is in retaliation for US strikes launched from bases in the region.
The war between Iran and the US quickly spread to Lebanon and now appears to have spread to Yemen and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
‘No safety’ in the agreement
The first official Iranian reaction to the Mecca agreement came from Ibrahim Rezaei, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee.
In a post on X, he said that reliance on external agreements “will not provide Riyadh with a safety valve.” Rezaei added: “The Saudis should understand that an agreement on paper with Turkey and Pakistan will not bring them security, just as years of exclusively hosting the Americans did not provide them with security.”
“Correct your policies so that you do not have to beg others for security,” he warned.
More senior Iranian officials were more diplomatic.
Without directly referring to the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a message on X on Friday addressed to neighbouring countries.
He called for a policy of “self-reliance” and the adoption of what he described as an approach of “true brotherhood” in the region.
However, he accompanied this with an indication that the agreement would not deter Iran, saying that its armed forces could confront “the most advanced military powers in the world.”
He told Muslim countries that “the time has come for us to rely only on ourselves and adopt an approach of true brotherhood.”
In a similar vein, Ali Akbar Velayati, the Iranian Supreme Leader’s adviser on international affairs, said that countries in the region were capable of ensuring security by cooperating with each other. Velayati also called for the departure of foreign forces, describing them as the main source of instability in the region.
Abdullah Ramezanzadeh, a former spokesman for the reformist government of Mohammad Khatami, called for Iran to join the agreement, given that the countries involved had said that it was not directed against any particular country.
Differing motivations among the parties
Iranian analyst Salah al-Din Khodro said that the signing of the agreement in Islam’s most holy city carried highly significant symbolism, although the extent of the agreement’s commitments and members’ seriousness in implementing it have not yet become clear.
Speaking to The New Arab, Khodro said the pact brings together three major Sunni powers, all with very different motivations.
Riyadh is driven by security concerns related to the Iran-allied Houthis, as well as doubts about the effectiveness of the US security umbrella amid the recent war.
He said that Turkey however views the pact within the framework of regional balance, seeking to curb Israel’s growing role while avoiding being marginalised in the Middle East’s emerging security arrangements.
Pakistan was focused on balancing its rival India and strengthening its position vis-à-vis emerging alliances between Israel, India and some Arab countries such as the UAE, in addition to a shared Turkish-Pakistani interest in Saudi investment.
Khodro noted that the pact has declared itself open to the accession of other countries and does not target any particular party.
He pointed out that Egypt currently prefers to remain in the background, although its accession could give the alliance additional military and Arab weight and reinforce its characterization as a “Sunni NATO.”
All about Saudi Arabia vs Iran ?
However, another Iranian expert, Hamid Asfi told The New Arab that the agreement must be understood in the context of Saudi security concerns. Houthi attacks on Saudi ships and oil facilities, along with fears of potential attacks by Iran-linked groups in Iraq, have pushed Riyadh to seek a new security umbrella.
He added that the core purpose of the agreement is not so much to protect against Israel as to create a mechanism for confronting threats from Iran and its allies.
Riyadh, he said, is seeking to reduce the attacks it faces and increase the cost of any potential attack.
Asfi noted that other Arab countries, such as Bahrain or Jordan, could now be motivated to seek similar arrangements or forms of accession.
Saber Gul Anbari – Iranian journalist. Writes for Al-Araby al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister publication
