Egypt Excluded from Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan Defense Pact
Egypt did not join the defense alliance between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan due to Saudi concerns over Egypt's close ties with the UAE, though Turkey remains supportive of future inclusion.
Consensus
- Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan signed a defense cooperation agreement in August 2025.
- The agreement includes collective response to aggression and intelligence sharing.
- The alliance is referred to as a 'Sunni NATO' by some media.
- Egypt was considered for inclusion in the alliance.
- Turkey expressed support for Egypt's potential future membership.
- Saudi Arabia opposed Egypt's inclusion due to regional rivalry with the UAE.
Points of divergence
- Saudi Arabia viewed Egypt as an unsuitable strategic partner due to its proximity to the UAE, a regional rival. — kommersant
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakkan Fidan stated that Egypt could join once technical issues are resolved, and that the alliance is open to expansion beyond three countries. — vedomosti
- A defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan was signed in September 2025, with Pakistani troops stationed in Saudi Arabia. — vedomosti
Coverage (3 sources)
- Egypt did not join the "Sunni NATO" — Коммерсантъ
- Mada Masr: Egypt refused to join the alliance of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan — Коммерсантъ
- Egypt may enter the defense alliance of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey — Ведомости
Key entities
- Egypt
- Saudi Arabia
- Turkey
- Pakistan
- Cairo
- Mada Masr
- Bloomberg
- Media
- NATO
- United Arab Emirates
- Hakan Fidan
- Riyadh