Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a formal mutual defense pact on Wednesday, in a move that significantly strengthens a decadeslong security partnership amid heightened regional tensions.
The enhanced defense ties come as Gulf Arab states grow increasingly wary about the reliability of the United States as their long-standing security guarantor. Israel's attack on Qatar last week heightened those concerns.
"This agreement is a culmination of years of discussions. This is not a response to specific countries or specific events but an institutionalization of long-standing and deep cooperation between our two countries," a senior Saudi official said when asked about its timing.
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