Turkish leaders insist their new trilateral defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is not directed at Iran, comparing the agreement to NATO's Article 5 while Iran dismisses it.
An Iranian lawmaker criticized the new Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye, dismissing it as ineffective while regional tensions escalate amid the conflict involving Iran.
Chinese experts suggest Beijing might respond to deepening Japan-Philippines defense cooperation with military operations, enhanced electronic warfare, or trade sanctions. A think tank report described the pact as a "quasi-military alliance" that could restrict Chinese naval access to the western Pacific.
PM Modi's visit to the Netherlands concluded with 17 outcomes, including agreements on migration, green hydrogen, and defense. Discussions also covered West Asia and Ukraine, with both leaders calling for freedom of navigation. The countries upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership and signed a semiconductor fabrication plant agreement.
The Saudi-Pakistan defense pact could give Riyadh a nuclear-backed deterrent as Iran, Israel and US reshape Gulf security calculations Read Full Article at RT.com
French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek leaders call for delaying Covid-19 debt repayment and issuing more EU bonds during Macron's visit to Athens. The €1.8 trillion EU budget negotiations are described as "extremely difficult" by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni at the EU summit in Cyprus, where leaders also discussed Ukraine, defense, and tensions with Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán.
The EU wants more clarity on its common defense provision, but countries are wary of clashing with NATO.
