IRIA News

5 minute read

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a landmark mutual defense agreement that declares any aggression against one country will be treated as an attack on both, marking a major shift in Gulf security policy following Israel’s strike on Qatar.

The deal was signed in Riyadh on September 17, 2025, by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the latter’s state visit. Statements issued by both governments confirmed that the pact seeks to “develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.”

The agreement is the first formal collective defense arrangement by a Gulf Arab nation in response to Israel’s widening military operations, which have stretched across Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, the Palestinian territories, and Qatar since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

Neither Israel nor the United States immediately commented on the announcement. However, analysts see the pact as a clear message to Israel, widely regarded as the Middle East’s only nuclear-armed state.

A joint statement released by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated that “This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.”

“This agreement reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance security and achieve peace in the region and the world,” the Saudi Press Agency said.

Decades of Strategic Ties

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have maintained close ties for decades, bound by religion, economics, and security cooperation. Pakistan has long stationed troops in the kingdom to safeguard the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, a deployment that dates to the 1960s.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia military relationship deepened after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Pakistan’s development of nuclear weapons in response to India’s program also intersected with Saudi strategic interests.

A 2007 U.S. diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks suggested Pakistani diplomats had openly discussed Saudi participation in nuclear cooperation, noting that Riyadh sought protection at a time when Egypt and other states lacked the financial resources to pursue nuclear programs.

Nuclear Implications

The pact does not explicitly mention nuclear weapons, but it reignites speculation that Saudi Arabia could come under Pakistan’s “nuclear umbrella.” Prince Mohammed previously stated that the kingdom would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran acquired them.

Saudi Arabia has also sought U.S. assistance for a civilian nuclear power program, including uranium enrichment. While Washington had tied that ambition to a potential diplomatic recognition deal with Israel before the Hamas attack, the collapse of those talks has left Riyadh seeking other options.

The defense pact comes amid rapidly shifting alliances in the Middle East. Days before the signing, Iran dispatched Ali Larijani, secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, to Saudi Arabia, signaling that Riyadh may have quietly informed Tehran of its intentions. Saudi Arabia and Iran restored ties in 2023 through a China-brokered deal.

The pact also follows a four-day flare-up between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan in May, which left at least 70 people dead. Saudi Arabia reportedly played a role in de-escalating the conflict, highlighting its growing involvement in South Asian security issues.

Economic and Social Links

Beyond defense, the Saudi-Pakistani partnership is reinforced by strong economic ties. Saudi Arabia is India’s third-largest oil supplier, but it also relies heavily on Pakistan as a labor partner. More than 2.5 million Pakistanis currently live and work in the kingdom, sending back vital remittances that bolster Pakistan’s fragile economy.

HRH the Crown Prince and #Pakistan Prime Minister sign Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement.#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/Rh95MS5ZQS

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) September 17, 2025

The defense agreement was signed during official talks at Riyadh’s Al-Yamamah Palace, attended by senior delegations from both sides. Pakistani officials expressed gratitude for the “warm welcome and generous hospitality,” while the Saudi leadership emphasized the “historic and strategic relations” binding the two nations.

Signal to US

The agreement comes as Gulf states increasingly question the reliability of the United States as their primary security guarantor. Washington’s hesitancy to directly intervene in recent regional crises has fueled concerns in Riyadh and elsewhere about being left vulnerable.

By signing the defense pact with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia has effectively broadened its security options, leveraged Islamabad’s nuclear status and military strength, while signaling independence from Western security frameworks.

While Israel has not yet commented, the pact is likely to raise alarms in Tel Aviv and Washington, where policymakers have long worried about the possibility of Saudi nuclear ambitions. For now, Riyadh and Islamabad are presenting the agreement as a deterrent and a step toward greater stability in a volatile region.

“This agreement aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression,” the Saudi Press Agency emphasized in its official statement.