The Joint Strategic Defence Agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, signed last evening, Wednesday, in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, serves as a specific “nuclear deterrent” for Saudi Arabia. The most notable statement is that “any aggression against either country is an aggression against both.” This agreement reflects an unprecedented military and political shift and sends a powerful message to the Israeli occupation state, emphasising that the Islamic world is no longer a common land free of nuclear weapons.

We genuinely believe that this surprising agreement could lay the groundwork for an Islamic alliance akin to NATO, especially considering the increasing Israeli threat and the world approaching a significant shift in leadership, with China rising as a power amidst the decline of the American empire in economic, military, and political spheres.

The two signing parties came to this agreement for several reasons, which we can summarise as follows:

• First, let’s discuss the Israeli aggression that targeted Qatar’s capital last week, with assistance, complicity, and approval from US President Donald Trump, who regards Qatar as a significant partner and hosts the largest American military facility in the Middle East. Qatar has a special position with NATO, which protects it from its members, and American bases in the region have been transformed into tools for protecting the occupying state and American aggressions rather than the countries whose territory they are located on.

Second, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly stated, in both voice and image, that he fully believes, biblically and historically, in the inevitability of establishing Greater Israel over all Syrian, Lebanese, Palestinian, most Iraqi, Egyptian, and Saudi territories, including Mecca and Medina, as well as occupied Jerusalem.

Third, contrary to popular belief, Israel has confirmed its tight influence over the United States, its present president, and maybe the one who will succeed him. This is plain from America’s two-year support for the campaign of extermination, famine, and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.

• Fourth, the new Indian-Chinese alliance may have superseded the long-standing Chinese-Pakistani relationship, necessitating Pakistan’s resort to and strengthening of the Islamic umbrella.

This new Saudi-Pakistani military deterrence complements Pakistan’s superior nuclear capabilities and Saudi Arabia’s traditional military capabilities, as well as its standing as an economic and financial powerhouse with a strong presence in the energy and investment sectors.

The Israeli occupation state was undoubtedly astonished by the signing of this deal, which might transform Pakistan into a superior Islamic military force due to its military and nuclear capabilities, effectively terminating its nuclear uniqueness in the Middle East. We must recall that Saudi Arabia has sponsored and funded Pakistan’s nuclear programme since its inception by its president, Mr. Ali Bhutto, and his successor, General Zia-ul-Haq, who played an important role in its growth. We cannot rule out the possibility that the Israeli occupation state was responsible for the assassination of Zia-ul-Haq by bombing his plane.

We must not forget Pakistan’s significant achievement in rejecting Indian aggression last May, as well as its successful assistance to the Afghan resistance during this brief period. Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, a Pakistani nuclear scientist who played a crucial role in building North Korea’s and Iran’s nuclear programmes and missile capabilities, has also visited Tehran, Saudi Arabia, and Libya on more than 13 occasions. Unfortunately, he is currently under house arrest at the request of the United States. This man was dedicated to his country, his creed, and his Islamic nation, devoting all of his expertise to helping these causes and opposing any adversaries, particularly the United States and the Israeli occupation state.

To summarise, we hope that the Saudi-Pakistani pact and its nuclear umbrella would serve the Islamic people, devoid of sectarian tendencies, and constitute the foundation of an extended Islamic coalition that includes all Islamic countries, with Iran at the forefront. The recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, exemplified by the visit of Mr. Ali Larijani, the Iranian National Security Advisor, to Saudi Arabia the day before yesterday, in response to the visit of Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi Minister of Defence, to Tehran last April, during which he met with most Iranian officials, including Mr Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, may herald increased cooperation between the two countries on all fronts, especially in