Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign defense pact
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By Timour Azhari, Ariba Shahid and Tuvan Gumrukcu RIYADH/KARACHI/ANKARA, Aug 7 - Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday, wedding Sunni Muslim U.S. allies alarmed at a regional conflagration that has brought Iranian missile fire onto Gulf oil exporters.
The agreement says any armed attack against one of the three states will be regarded as an attack on them all, Pakistan and Turkey said in statement.
Iran and Oman are close to finalizing a proposed framework for commercial shipping through the waterway, Tehran’s deputy foreign minister said. Follow for live updates.
Iran has criticised the newly signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Tehran says lasting security depends on policy changes, not military partnerships.