Updated

Tehran responded to the mutual security agreement signed in Mecca on Friday by the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey by saying it was not concerned that the pact was directed against Iran. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, 10 August 2026, that the arrangement instead reflected a "change in perception" among regional US allies, who Iranian officials argued now believe they cannot rely on Washington for their security. Baghaei framed the deal as evidence of a broader shift in the regional security order rather than a hostile move against Tehran. The so-called Mecca Joint Defence Agreement commits its signatories to mutual security cooperation, and comes at a time of heightened tension across the Gulf following the recent conflict involving Iran. Iranian officials have repeatedly argued that US security guarantees to Gulf and other Muslim-majority states have lost credibility. Tehran's measured public reaction suggests it is seeking to avoid an adversarial posture toward Riyadh, Islamabad and Ankara while using the pact rhetorically to underline what it presents as declining American influence in the region.