Pakistan extends nuclear umbrella to Saudi Arabia in new defense pact

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a strategic defense pact aimed at bolstering joint deterrence, according to Saudi state media.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif finalized the agreement on Wednesday in Riyadh.

Under the deal, an attack on either country will be treated as an attack on both. Officials did not clarify whether the move was tied to ongoing regional tensions, though it comes amid heightened concern in Gulf capitals over Israeli military actions against regional actors, including a strike on Doha earlier this month. Riyadh and Islamabad have long had close ties in trade, religion and security.

Saudi Arabia has been linked to financing Pakistan’s nuclear program, as reported by The Washington Post. Analysts and at least one Pakistani diplomat have said the kingdom could fall under Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella, especially as concerns grow about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.