Saudi Arabia and the United States are on the cusp of a comprehensive defense alliance agreement
Arab Defense Website – October 17, 2025: Informed sources revealed to the newspaper Financial Times Today, Friday, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is holding advanced talks with the United States of America regarding drafting a new defense agreement, which is expected to be signed during the visit of the Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to Washington next month. This step comes within the framework of strengthening strategic ties between Riyadh and Washington, and confirming the Kingdom’s increasing role in the regional security system.
The sources explained that Riyadh aspires to conclude a comprehensive and strong agreement, which reflects its growing level of influence in the stability of the Gulf region, and confirms the United States’ firm commitment to supporting regional security. The new agreement would enhance the Kingdom’s ability to confront regional challenges and support its efforts to build an advanced defense system in line with the strategic transformations in the region.
For his part, a senior official in the US administration said that the talks are still ongoing, and that the possibility of signing the agreement during the Crown Prince’s visit exists, but the final details are still being prepared. The official pointed out that security cooperation with Saudi Arabia represents the “cornerstone” of the United States’ regional strategy, stressing that Washington considers the Kingdom a pivotal partner in ensuring stability in the Gulf.
Although the White House and the US State Department refused to reveal specific details regarding the content of the agreement, the report indicates that the wording of the new agreement may take a model similar to the recent agreement between the United States and Qatar. In this agreement, Washington committed that any armed attack on Qatar would constitute a direct threat to American national security. The signing of this agreement came after Israel attempted to assassinate the leaders of the Hamas movement in the Qatari capital, Doha, via an air strike.
It is expected that the upcoming defense agreement with Saudi Arabia will cover several vital areas, most notably joint security planning, the exchange of intelligence information, and expanded cooperation in air and missile defense, in a way that enhances the Kingdom’s ability to confront potential regional threats. It is also seen as part of a comprehensive strategy to secure the Kingdom’s interests in the face of rising tensions in the region.
For years, Saudi Arabia has been seeking to conclude a formal defense agreement with the United States, as it is a fundamental pillar of ensuring its national security, as well as being a pivotal element in the Crown Prince’s project to modernize the Kingdom in accordance with “Vision 2030,” which aims to diversify the national economy and develop vital sectors in keeping with global transformations.
This initiative comes at a time of increasing regional challenges, as Saudi Arabia seeks to enhance its defense capabilities while maintaining its strategic relations with the most prominent global powers, which makes the potential agreement a qualitative step in the path of regional alliances, and confirms the Kingdom’s pivotal role in the stability of the Gulf region and the Arab world alike.
This agreement comes after Saudi Arabia and Pakistan concluded a joint defense agreement aimed at strengthening military and security cooperation between the two countries. This agreement reflects the desire of both sides to unify efforts to confront regional threats and enhance stability in the region. The agreement includes multiple areas, including joint military training, exchanging intelligence information, supporting defense capabilities, and organizing joint military maneuvers.
This step comes within the framework of a long history of strategic relations between Riyadh and Islamabad, as Pakistan is an important partner of Saudi Arabia in the military field, and the agreement confirms continued coordination and cooperation on issues of regional security and common defense.
These steps also reflect Saudi Arabia’s keenness to build strong military alliances outside the scope of traditional alliances, thus enhancing its defense capabilities and ensuring joint preparedness for any potential threat in the region.
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