Turkey will not join a mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, a source close to the Saudi military told AFP yesterday, after a Turkish official said earlier this month that they had entered talks aimed at entering the alliance.

Speculation has been rife that the three countries were intent on forming a powerful alliance amid soaring tensions in the region, following Israeli air strikes in Doha over the summer targeting Hamas officials that preceded Iran’s bombing of a US air base in Qatar.

“Turkey won’t join the defence pact with Pakistan,” the source told AFP, dismissing reports of negotiations.

“It’s a bilateral pact with Pakistan and will remain a bilateral pact”.

A Gulf official also confirmed the information.

“This is a bilateral defensive relationship with Pakistan. We have common agreements with Turkey but the one with Pakistan will stay bilateral,” the official said.