Iran, Egypt and Algeria Could Join Mecca Defence Pact, Says Russian Foreign Minister

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Iran could potentially become part of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement if appropriate conditions are agreed upon for its participation, describing such a development as a highly practical and positive step for regional security.

Lavrov made the remarks on September 7, 2026, while addressing students and faculty at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) in Moscow. According to Anadolu Agency, the Russian foreign minister described the Mecca agreement as a framework for collective security and defence cooperation in the Gulf region and expressed support for the possible inclusion of Iran.

Lavrov said the Mecca agreement represents a collective defence arrangement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye, while its founding members have indicated that the door remains open to other countries, including states from outside the Gulf region.

The Russian foreign minister said Egypt is frequently mentioned as a potential participant, while Algeria’s interest in such an arrangement would also be a positive development. He said that if the framework eventually agrees on conditions under which Iran could participate, it would represent a highly practical step towards implementing the regional security concept proposed by Russia more than two decades ago.

Lavrov said Russia had proposed more than 20 years ago bringing the Arab states of the Gulf and Iran to the negotiating table to develop a regional security concept. According to him, the objective was to establish a security system in which regional countries could address their differences, resolve mutual grievances and build confidence through dialogue and confidence-building measures.

He said Russia had also proposed involving the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in the process, allowing regional security issues to be discussed at a broader level.

The Russian foreign minister described the Mecca agreement as significant in the context of this broader regional security concept. He said countries in the region should recognise that they are neighbours and should focus on establishing mechanisms for mutual security rather than creating threats for one another.

Lavrov also noted that relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran had improved in recent years. He said China’s initiative, along with Russia’s encouragement, had played a role in the restoration of diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran. He presented the development as an example of the need for new arrangements aimed at promoting security and cooperation among regional countries.

Lavrov stressed that Russia was not seeking leadership or dominance in the process. He said Moscow had already presented its own vision for regional security, but would regard it as a positive development if countries in the region established such a system themselves.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed on August 7, 2026, in the Saudi city of Mecca between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three member states would be considered an attack against all three, requiring them to cooperate in collective defence.

The agreement also provides a framework for strengthening defence cooperation, joint security arrangements and military coordination among the three countries. Türkiye later said that the pact would involve further coordination among defence ministers and other officials, as well as cooperation in joint exercises and the defence industry.

Lavrov’s latest remarks are significant because they indicate Russia’s interest in seeing the Mecca defence arrangement potentially develop beyond a three-country defence partnership into a broader regional security framework involving other countries.

However, Lavrov did not announce that Iran had been admitted to the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, nor did he say that Tehran had received a formal invitation to join. His remarks were instead an expression of support for the possibility of Iranian participation if the countries involved agree on acceptable conditions for Tehran’s inclusion.