What are the challenges facing the Mecca agreement?

Inside StorySaudi Arabia turns to Turkiye and Pakistan for defence ties, raising questions overreliance on the US.Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye have signed a joint defence pact.It is an alliance that analysts say highlights Riyadh’s desire to diversify its defence partnerships, expanding to Ankara and Islamabad.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Yemen’s government forces attack Houthis amid renewed shelling of Mariblist 2 of 3Iran deliberates Hormuz arrangement amid uncertain prospects with USlist 3 of 3Saudi-Pakistan-Turkiye pact: A new shield or strategic signal?end of listThe pact was announced at a time of increased regional tension.Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has launched a military operation against the Iran-aligned Houthis following a series of attacks, while Iran and the US have yet to reach a final deal to end the war.The trilateral Mecca pact raises questions about the effectiveness of the decades-long US military presence in the Gulf. Does this alliance offer a viable alternative to the security umbrella promised by Washington?Presenter: Anna Burns-FrancisGuests:Abdulaziz Alghashian – Senior non-resident fellow at the Gulf International ForumDavid Des...