Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Sign Defense Pact as Israeli Aggression Inflames Region
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact late on Wednesday, marking a decisive expansion of their decades-old security partnership.
The agreement came just a week after Israel’s deadly strikes on Qatar, which attempted to assassinate Hamas leaders during ceasefire talks for Gaza. The attack enraged Arab nations and highlighted Israeli regime’s reckless disregard for regional stability.
Persian Gulf states, increasingly disillusioned with US protection, are turning to stronger intra-Muslim alliances. Asked whether the pact meant Pakistan would extend a nuclear umbrella to Saudi Arabia, a senior Saudi official said: “This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”
Pakistan, the only Muslim-majority nation with nuclear weapons and home to the Islamic world’s largest standing army, has long maintained its deterrent capability is aimed at India. The Saudi official stressed the pact was not tied to a single incident but institutionalized “long-standing and deep cooperation” between Riyadh and Islamabad.
Israel’s strike on Doha on September 9, targeting Hamas leaders engaged in peace talks mediated by Qatar, was viewed across the region as a brazen act of state terrorism. Persian Gulf monarchies had previously sought cautious engagement with Israel, but Tel Aviv’s aggression has shattered that fragile calculus.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, were shown embracing after the signing, alongside Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
“The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” Pakistan’s prime minister’s office said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia hosts Islam’s holiest sites and has long relied on Pakistani military support, with up to 2,000 Pakistani troops currently stationed in the kingdom. Their role includes operational, technical and training assistance for Saudi forces.
In parallel, Saudi Arabia has provided crucial financial support to Pakistan, including a $3 billion loan extended in December to bolster its reserves.
The accord comes only months after Pakistan clashed militarily with India in May. India’s foreign ministry said it was “aware of the development” and would assess its implications for security.
The Saudi official noted Riyadh’s ties with New Delhi remain strong but emphasized that building security cooperation with Pakistan is a strategic necessity.
Since independence in 1947, Pakistan and India have fought three major wars. The presence of nuclear weapons since the late 1990s has limited conflicts but heightened the risk of escalation.
