Egypt Could Join Türkiye-Saudi-Pakistan Mutual Defense Pact

Darwin, August 17: Egypt could join the mutual defense pact recently signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.

In an interview with Qatar-based Al Jazeera program Al Muqabala, Erdoğan said Cairo’s potential membership is being considered as part of efforts to expand the alliance.

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was formally signed recently in the holy city of Mecca by Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all, with the parties committed to responding collectively. However, Pakistani officials have rejected comparisons with the Western military alliance NATO and said the pact is not directed against any particular country.

Erdoğan said the agreement had sent an important message to the world and left the door open for other countries to join.

Erdoğan Calls for Strait of Hormuz to Reopen

Erdoğan also identified the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a priority, saying all sides are suffering from the closure of the strategically important waterway.

He praised Qatar for playing an important role in the ongoing conflict and its diplomatic efforts.

Gaza Cannot Be Abandoned

Discussing the situation in Palestine, Erdoğan said Gaza cannot be left alone. He claimed that while Hamas had fulfilled its commitments, Israel continued its military operations.

Erdoğan also said he had spoken with US President Donald Trump about Israeli attacks in Lebanon and called on Washington to take effective steps to end the fighting.

Support for Syria

Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue supporting efforts to maintain stability in Syria. He also argued that Syria’s Kurdish population should be included in any future peace agreement.

He added that Türkiye’s relations with Sudan and Libya remained stable.

EU Membership No Longer a Priority

Erdoğan said joining the European Union (EU) was no longer among Türkiye’s priorities, arguing that the process had stalled because of a lack of goodwill among European leaders.

According to Erdoğan, Europe would ultimately suffer more than Türkiye from the continued deadlock.

Türkiye Seeks Return to F-35 Program

On Türkiye’s possible return to the US-led F-35 fighter jet program, Erdoğan said Trump had made a commitment regarding the aircraft and that Ankara was waiting for it to be fulfilled.

Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system, and the United States imposed sanctions on Ankara in 2020.

Although Trump has recently signaled that sanctions could be lifted and Türkiye could potentially return to the F-35 program, uncertainty remains over whether such a move would receive sufficient support in the US Congress.