Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) , ahead of the expected signing of a defense deal between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026. Saudi Arabia, the strongest Gulf state, is home to Islam’s holiest sites and one of the world’s top oil exporters, while Pakistan is the only nuclear-armed Muslim country. Tehran has attacked U.S. bases and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan and Israel. Mansoor Ahmed, of the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, said Pakistan and Turkey bring strong defense industries to the table, while Saudi Arabia could contribute with technological spending. Pakistan has provided training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades, while Turkey and Pakistan have exchanged warships and training aircraft.