IRIA News

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Egypt could join the defense agreement recently signed by Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, signaling that the emerging security framework could expand beyond its three founding members.

Erdogan described Egypt’s participation as “possible” and said the agreement remains open to additional members. The comments came as Turkiye and Egypt continued efforts to deepen bilateral relations and coordinate their positions on the conflicts and security challenges affecting the Middle East.

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed in the Saudi city of Mecca on August 7, 2026, by Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, establishes that an armed attack against one member would be treated as an attack against all three.

The provision creates a collective-deterrence mechanism among the three countries, although officials in Islamabad have cautioned against treating the arrangement as equivalent to NATO or as an alliance directed against a particular country.

Egypt Considers Joining the Pact

Egypt’s possible participation would give the agreement a wider regional dimension and bring another major Arab military power into the emerging framework.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo was studying the possibility of joining the agreement “with seriousness.” He said Egyptian state institutions were conducting comprehensive reviews in accordance with the country’s constitution and legal obligations before reaching a decision.

Egypt maintains close relations with Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, providing a foundation for deeper security cooperation. Cairo’s position could therefore become an important factor in determining whether the Mecca agreement develops into a broader regional security mechanism.

The possibility of Egyptian participation also follows increased diplomatic engagement between Ankara and Cairo.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Egypt this week for talks with senior officials, including Abdelatty, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy and Major General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, director of Egypt’s General Intelligence Service.

Fidan was also scheduled to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other senior officials during his two-day visit. The discussions covered bilateral relations, defense cooperation and regional security. Turkiye and Egypt are seeking to increase bilateral trade to $15 billion and are also working on cooperation in hydrocarbons, electricity grid integration, energy infrastructure, and mining.

Fidan and Abdelatty also held the second meeting of the Turkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, which reviewed the implementation of agreements reached at the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting in Cairo in February. The two sides are expected to prepare for a third meeting of the council in Turkiye in 2028.

Regional Security and Strait of Hormuz

The possible expansion of the Mecca agreement comes as regional tensions remain high and several major conflicts continue to affect security and trade. Erdogan said reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a priority for Ankara, arguing that its continued closure served no one’s interests.

The strategic waterway is critical to global energy markets and international shipping. Turkiye has supported diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring a ceasefire between the United States and Iran and reopening the strait.

Fidan also discussed the issue during his visit to Egypt, where he was expected to emphasize support for diplomatic efforts to restore the ceasefire and reopen the waterway. Erdogan credited Qatar with playing an important role in mediation efforts aimed at ending the wider regional conflict.

The Turkish president has also sought to position Ankara as a regional actor capable of supporting diplomatic efforts while strengthening security cooperation with countries across the Middle East.

The Mecca agreement is part of that broader effort. Its collective-defense provision is designed to strengthen deterrence among the participating countries and provide a framework for coordinated action in the event of external aggression.

According to IRIA sources, the potential inclusion of Egypt could significantly broaden the pact’s political and strategic weight by linking Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt through a common security framework.

Turkiye Maintains Focus on Gaza

Erdogan also addressed the war in Gaza, saying Turkiye could not abandon the Palestinians and would continue supporting the enclave. “Turkiye cannot leave Gaza alone and will do everything necessary to support it,” Erdogan said. He said Hamas was meeting its commitments in good faith while Israel continued its military campaign.

Fidan separately stressed the need for an immediate halt to attacks in Gaza, full implementation of the ceasefire and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian assistance.

During his Egypt visit, the Turkish foreign minister was also expected to discuss implementation of the second phase of the Gaza Peace Plan and Israel’s attacks in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

Gaza has remained a central issue in Turkiye’s regional diplomacy, with Ankara seeking greater international pressure for a lasting ceasefire and increased humanitarian assistance.

Syria and Lebanon Remain Key Concerns

Erdogan said Turkiye would continue supporting stability in Syria and announced plans to visit the country in the coming period.

He said Syria’s Kurds would have “a share of peace and stability” and that Turkiye would continue strengthening relations with Kurdish communities while supporting their rights across the region.

Ankara has also remained focused on developments in Lebanon. Erdogan described continued Israeli attacks there as a serious concern and said he had raised the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump during Trump’s recent visit to Turkiye.

He stressed the importance of Washington’s role in bringing the fighting to an end. Fidan also discussed the conflicts affecting Lebanon and Syria during his talks in Egypt, reflecting the growing coordination between Ankara and Cairo over regional security.

Turkiye and Egypt have additionally maintained cooperation on Libya. Ankara has reaffirmed its support for Libya’s territorial integrity and political unity, while Fidan stressed the importance of joint efforts to achieve lasting stability in the country.

Turkiye has also reaffirmed support for Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Erdogan said his relations with Sudanese Sovereignty Council leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan remained good.

F-35 Talks and Relations with Europe

Erdogan also addressed Turkiye’s defense relationship with the United States, saying Ankara was waiting for Trump to fulfil a promise concerning F-35 fighter jets.

Turkiye was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system. Washington argued that the Russian system could compromise the F-35’s sensitive technology.

During the NATO summit in Ankara last month, Trump said his administration would lift sanctions imposed on Turkiye under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act and said a possible Turkish return to the F-35 program was something his administration would consider.

The issue remains complicated, however, by opposition in the U.S. Congress and by existing U.S. legislation that restricts the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkiye while Ankara retains the S-400 system.

Erdogan also said European Union membership was no longer a priority for Ankara because the bloc did not appear willing to admit Turkiye. He argued that Europe would ultimately lose from excluding Turkiye as Ankara develops wider partnerships with countries outside the EU.

Wider Regional Framework

The possible inclusion of Egypt would mark a significant development for the Mecca defence agreement and could give the initiative greater regional reach.

Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt already maintain extensive political, economic and diplomatic relations, while their governments have increasingly emphasized regional ownership of security issues.

The agreement’s future will depend on how its collective-defense commitments are implemented and whether additional countries decide to join. Egypt’s decision could therefore become an important test of the pact’s ability to evolve from a three-country defense arrangement into a wider regional security framework.

At the same time, Ankara’s parallel diplomatic engagement with Cairo, Doha, Washington and other regional capitals indicates that Turkiye is seeking to combine defense cooperation with diplomatic initiatives aimed at addressing the region’s conflicts.

According to IRIA experts, the emerging framework reflects a broader regional effort to strengthen strategic autonomy and collective deterrence while reducing dependence on external security arrangements. The possible participation of Egypt would further increase the political and military significance of that effort.