Turkey

China’s quiet rise in the Middle East’s new power struggle - opinion

The new Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan alliance signals a shifting Middle East – and China may be the biggest winner as regional powers seek new security partners.

 CHINESE PRESIDENT Xi Jinping meets with then-Saudi deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman during the G20 Summit in Zhejiang province, China, in 2016.
Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan arrive for a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 4, 2025

After strike on Turkish base in Syria, US urges Israel to show restraint

Israeli President Isaac Herzog (L) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (R) meet in Baku, Azerbaijan, May 2023.

Azerbaijan mediating between Israel, Turkey in effort to reduce Syria tensions

Israeli security forces guard as Jews tour  the West Bank city of Hebron, August 22, 2026

West Bank incident sparks debate as Gaza and regional issues take center stage


Turkish parliament passes landmark law to advance PKK peace process

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a designated terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the European Union, has waged a conflict that has killed tens of thousands.

Fighters with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) walk for a disarmament ceremony marking a significant step toward ending the decades-long conflict between Turkey and the outlawed group, in the Qandil mountains, Iraq October 26, 2025.

Saudi Arabia's new alliance did nothing when a Houthi drone hit Jizan - analysis

Saudi Arabia’s new defense pact with Turkey and Pakistan promises collective deterrence, but its first test showed the limits of what that commitment may actually mean.

Billboards display the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in Karachi, Pakistan, August 9, 2026.

IAEA set to remove nuclear material from Syrian site in US-brokered deal

Syria's government corroborated the initial Axios report on Tuesday morning, confirming that it had cooperated with the IAEA, the US, and "friendly countries" on this matter.

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during a bilateral meeting alongside the NATO leaders summit at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026.

'A paper tiger': Iran sees Saudi, Turkey, Pakistan defense pact as a major win, expert tells 'Post'

“Saudi Arabia has not taken any action against any of the aggressors attacking its territory, meaning Iran, the Houthis and the militias in Iraq. They have not done anything about it.”

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on after they signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Iran says Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi defense pact is no threat, reflects a 'shift in approach'

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei said the pact showed a shift in regional countries' approach to security, with greater reliance on their own capabilities rather than outside powers.

IRAN'S FOREIGN Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei attends an interview, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 5, 2026.

Pakistan says defense pact with Turkey, Saudi Arabia is 'purely defensive,' open to other nations

He said the Mecca Agreement is the result of several years of discussions and mutual consultations, aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation to address various security challenges, promote peace.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on after they signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Saudi Arabia's new agreement with Turkey, Pakistan puts stability on dangerous ground - editorial

Riyadh must decide whether its new alliances will strengthen regional stability or give greater influence to governments seeking to turn Israel into the common enemy.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by their ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

India-Israel ties will bloom amid Middle East's new Mecca Pact - analysis

Ties with Greece and Cyprus are also likely to benefit from the agreement, with Athens and Nicosia as concerned about an expanded Turkish footprint in the eastern Mediterranean as Jerusalem is.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in Jerusalem, February 26, 2026.

Turkey, Saudi, Pakistan defense pact complicates Israel normalization hopes, expert tells 'Post'

Saudi Arabia, the hardest-hit of all three countries, likely joined the pact so it would have more leverage and options as trust in Washington is waning in the region, Guzansky said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Turkey says Saudi-Pakistan defense pact mirrors NATO’s Article 5, not aimed at Iran

The new defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will establish NATO-style security mechanisms, Ankara says.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 19, 2026