Fidan made statements to Turkish journalists after a visit to Syria, at a time of rising regional tensions and recent attacks on Saudi territory.

As the Foreign minister said, Turkiye believes that any attempt to encircle Saudi Arabia, hit critical infrastructure, or cause damage with repercussions for the entire region requires a political and security response.

The head of Turkish diplomacy stated that Ankara is acting in accordance with the spirit of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement and remembered that the Foreign Ministry publicly expressed its support for Riyadh, as well as conveying messages to other parties involved.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement on August 7 in Mecca that states that an armed attack against any of the three countries will be considered aggression against all.

Fidan explained that technical talks to institutionalize this alliance are continuing, in particular on the structure of its headquarters and staff levels, and advanced that Ankara intends to move towards broader cooperation.

The agreement was presented by its signatories as a mechanism of collective defense and, according to the Turkish authorities, is not directed against a specific country.

abo/mem/fm