Iran has no reservations over Makkah Defence Pact: Khawaja Asif

NEW YORK: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Iran has no reservations about the Makkah Joint Defence Pact, ARY News reported on Friday.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in Makkah on August 7, 2026. The agreement is aimed at strengthening collective security, defence cooperation and regional stability. It stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three.



“The secretariat for the joint defence pact would be established in October,” Khawaja Asif said while talking to newsmen in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA.

He said several Islamic countries were interested in becoming part of the agreement.

According to the defence minister, the three countries involved would jointly decide when, how and which countries could be admitted as members of the pact.

“The whole world is currently sustained by hope,” Khawaja Asif said.

He added that no country, including Iran, had expressed reservations about the joint defence pact.

Read more: Pakistan appoints first Secretary General of Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

Khawaja Asif said any country joining the agreement would do so with the objective of contributing to the establishment of peace.

“All meetings are held with the intention of improving relations. If relations were strained, there would be no meetings at all,” he said.

The defence minister added that as long as meetings and engagement continued, there remained hope for improvement in relations.

Earlier this week, Pakistan appointed Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood (retd), Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), as the first Secretary General of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA).

According to the Office of the Spokesperson, the Government of Pakistan has appointed Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood as Secretary General pursuant to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

The Secretary General will lead the General Secretariat of the alliance, which is being established in Riyadh, the statement said.

The three countries agreed in August to establish a Secretariat in Saudi Arabia headed by a Secretary General, with Pakistan providing the first Secretary General for a three-year term.

The appointment came amid heightened regional tensions in the region.