Mecca

'A paper tiger': Iran sees Saudi, Turkey, Pakistan defense pact as a major win, expert tells 'Post'

“Saudi Arabia has not taken any action against any of the aggressors attacking its territory, meaning Iran, the Houthis and the militias in Iraq. They have not done anything about it.”

|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on after they signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on after they signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Pakistan says defense pact with Turkey, Saudi Arabia is 'purely defensive,' open to other nations

He said the Mecca Agreement is the result of several years of discussions and mutual consultations, aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation to address various security challenges, promote peace.

|ByARSHAD MEHMOOD/THE MEDIA LINE
U.S. President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they shake hands during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 29, 2025.

Why diplomatic deals cannot fix revolutionary ambitions - opinion

Washington seeks a manageable relationship; Tehran seeks a revolution. No treaty can bridge that gap.

|ByYIFA SEGAL
Israeli, Iranian, and US flags are seen above US dollars in this illustrative image.

‘Pax Americana’ in the Middle East - opinion

Political Islam, or Islamism, despite its modern aspects and appearance, has its roots in the original Islam of Medina. It was there that the Prophet Muhammad established the first Islamic state.

|ByAFSHIN ELLIAN

Muslim pilgrims flock to Mecca ahead of hajj

Every able-bodied Muslim who has the means should perform the hajj at least once in their lifetime under a quota system.

AUGUST 19, 2018ByREUTERS
A muslim pilgrim takes a video with his mobile phone while others circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand mosque ahead of annual Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia August 16, 2018

Voices from the Arab press: A Saudi overhaul of the pilgrimage process

A selection of stories from the Arab press this week.

JUNE 7, 2018ByMEDIA LINE
THE GREAT Mosque during Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 2007