Turkey’s parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus has said the defence agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan could eventually expand into a broader security pact involving other Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Reuters reports.

The remarks come as the three countries prepare for further discussions on the implementation of the agreement, which is expected to be submitted to Turkey’s parliament for ratification after lawmakers return from recess in October, Reuters reported.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the **Mecca Joint Defence Agreement** in August. The pact includes a collective-defence provision under which an attack on one signatory would be considered an attack on all three, similar to NATO’s Article 5.

Speaking to reporters in Ankara on Friday, Kurtulmus said the meetings currently being held among the signatories were preparatory and that parliamentary approval would be required for the agreement to take effect.

Asked whether the pact was aimed at Iran, Kurtulmus said Turkey did not view it as an agreement targeting any particular country. He said the pact was intended to strengthen the security of countries in the region amid ongoing conflicts and what he described as Israel’s “hostile policies.”

“We never see the Mecca Agreement as a pact against Iran,” Kurtulmus said, adding that Ankara hoped it could develop into a broader agreement “for the Muslim world.”

“Iran can join this agreement too,” he said, expressing hope that participation from other regional countries would make the arrangement stronger.

Ankara has previously said it could help address Saudi Arabia’s military requirements, particularly in technical areas. However, Turkish officials have indicated that any assistance at this stage would largely remain bilateral because the joint defence agreement has yet to be ratified.

The military chiefs of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are also expected to meet to discuss ways of supporting Riyadh.