The Middle East Fractures: Islamic NATO, U.S. Sanctions, and Iran's Endgame

On August 7, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, creating a mutual-defence pact with a clause mirroring NATO's Article 5. The "tectonic shift" marks a decisive move away from the traditional U.S. security umbrella. Saudi Arabia, previously reliant on bilateral deals, was pushed into the alliance after its territory was attacked by Iran and its proxies during the ongoing war. The pact combines...