Fidan: Mecca Alliance Could Meet Saudi Arabia’s Military Needs

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara is prepared to help address certain military and technical needs of Saudi Arabia through the “Mecca Alliance” amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.

Speaking to Turkish broadcaster NTV, Fidan said Saudi Arabia had faced serious attacks against its territorial integrity and sovereignty and stressed that Türkiye would honor its commitments under its alliance agreement with Riyadh.

“We are an ally and we stand by our word,” Fidan said, adding that Türkiye was closely monitoring developments through the Mecca Alliance.

He said the alliance could provide support for certain military requirements, particularly in technical areas.

“As the Mecca Alliance, we are closely following the situation. There may be military needs, particularly in certain technical areas. We would have no difficulty meeting them,” Fidan said.

Fidan also condemned attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, saying the Turkish Foreign Ministry was closely following the developments.

Mecca Alliance gaining momentum

Asked about the development and possible expansion of the Mecca Alliance, Fidan said there was a strong political will behind the initiative and that efforts to establish it were advancing rapidly.

He described the alliance as being open to countries across the region and said it emerged from an effort to seek regional solutions to regional problems.

“There is a very strong will, and we are moving forward rapidly,” Fidan said. “Our alliance is open to the countries of the region.”

His comments came as the Houthis have intensified attacks targeting Saudi Arabia amid the widening conflict in Yemen and growing concerns over maritime security around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Fidan calls for progress in US-Iran talks

Fidan also addressed diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict, saying there had been numerous initiatives but that their success depended on the parties accepting them.

He said talks between the United States and Iran had faced a deadlock in recent months and warned that the economic consequences of the wider crisis were becoming increasingly difficult to tolerate.

“The crisis was tolerated up to a certain point, but its economic repercussions have now exceeded tolerable levels,” Fidan said.

He added that Türkiye was closely following the US-Iran process and expressed hope that new proposals would be accepted by both sides.

The developments come as the newly established Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan faces its first major security test amid intensified Houthi attacks on Saudi territory and energy infrastructure.

The pact provides for collective defense in the event of an armed attack against a member and remains open to other regional countries, while Türkiye has said any assistance would depend on the circumstances and the needs of the member under attack.

The escalation also comes amid wider regional tensions and growing concerns over the security of the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising questions about whether the alliance will remain focused on coordination and technical support or take on a more direct security role.