By The South Asia Times

JEDDAH - Kuwait has expressed strong interest in becoming part of the recently signed Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye, according to diplomatic sources.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on August 24, during which the Kuwaiti diplomat "extended felicitations" to his Pakistani counterpart on the landmark defense pact signed in Makkah on August 7, according to Pakistan Foreign Ministry statement.

The discussions between the two foreign ministers covered bilateral relations, regional developments, and the evolving security landscape in the Middle East, with both sides "agreeing to remain closely engaged".

The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah, establishes that an armed attack against any of the three signatory states would be considered an attack against all three, similar to NATO's Article 5 collective defense principle.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Dar has clarified that the pact is "purely defensive in nature" and remains "open to any regional country willing to respect its principles and resolve differences through dialogue, cooperation, and peaceful means". Officials have reportedly mentioned Egypt as another potential candidate for future membership.

The agreement emerged amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, including the ongoing US-Iran conflict and disruptions to shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea. Analysts view the pact as reflecting a growing realization among regional powers that they cannot rely solely on external security guarantors.

Iranian officials have adopted a cautious stance toward the agreement. Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei indicated that Iran could consider joining but only as a "co-founder" with a role in shaping its foundational documents. However, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has stated that no formal invitation has been received and that Tehran maintains close ties with all three signatory nations.

For Kuwait, joining the Mecca pact would align with the Gulf state's longstanding policy of balancing regional relationships while seeking diversified security arrangements. The development follows growing sentiment across the region that "security is not a commodity that can be purchased from fake brokers," as Iran's foreign ministry spokesman observed regarding the changing regional perceptions.

The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence, deepen defense cooperation, and promote peace and stability in the broader region. With Kuwait now signaling its interest, the Makkah defense framework could evolve from a trilateral arrangement into a broader regional security architecture encompassing multiple Muslim-majority nations.

The Pakistani Foreign Office has emphasized that the agreement does not replace existing bilateral or multilateral defense arrangements but rather complements them, consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter