Key facts
- Turkey and Qatar signed a mutual defence agreement, the office of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said.
- The presidency's statement on X gave no details of the defence accord's terms.
- Erdogan met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Istanbul.
- Erdogan said the two countries were working to develop and diversify their energy partnership, per the presidency.
- Turkey's parliament ratified the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement last week, the body reported.
- Under the Mecca pact, an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all, the body reported.
Turkey and Qatar signed a mutual defence agreement on November 13, 2026 in Istanbul, the office of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said. Erdogan met the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the signing event. The presidency's statement, posted on X, gave no details of the defence accord.
"President Erdogan stated that we would continue working together to prevent the resurgence of war in the Gulf region and establish a basis for dialogue and achieve peace," the presidency said. The statement also cited Erdogan saying Turkey and Qatar were working to develop and diversify their energy partnership, and that their cooperation in the defence industry would continue to grow.
"President Erdogan stated that the Mutual Defence Agreement signed today by Turkey and Qatar would add another dimension to our brotherhood," the statement added.
The agreement follows a joint defence pact Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed in Mecca in August. Under that agreement, an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all. Turkey's parliament ratified the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement last week, clearing the way for Ankara to send military support to Saudi Arabia, which has been struggling to fend off attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants.