FPI / September 25, 2025
By Richard Fisher
Following a process that took “several months to finalize,” on Sept. 17, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” (SMDA) that extends Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent to Saudi Arabia.
This pact marks the first time a nuclear armed country beyond the United Nations Permanent Five Members of the U.N. Security Council (United States, Russia, China, Britain and France) has extended nuclear weapons protection to another country, and the first time Pakistan has committed to using its nuclear weapons against another country other than India.
[Editor’s note: Iran officially approves Saudi-Pakistan pact.]While the treaty language has not been revealed publicly, during a Sept. 18 television interview reported by the Associated Press, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif stated:
“We have not named any country whose attack would automatically trigger a retaliatory response. Neither has Saudi Arabia named any country, nor have we…This is an umbrella arrangement offered to one another by both sides: if there is aggression against either party — from any side — it will be jointly defended, and the aggression will be met with a response.”
But Asif also made clear that Pakistan nuclear arsenal could also be used to defend Saudi Arabia, saying:
“Let me make one point clear about Pakistan’s nuclear capability: that capability was established long ago when we conducted tests. Since then, we have forces trained for the battlefield…What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement.”
In addition, a “senior Saudi official” told Reuters, reported on Sept. 18 that, “This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”
Related: Iran, Egypt, Pakistan weigh Islamic alliance as Israel continues counter-terror drive, September 24, 2025
Indeed, Saudi Arabia was one of the first country to recognize Muslim-majority Pakistan in September 1947 and has been consistent source of economic support for Pakistan, including a $3 billion load in December 2024, and another $6.4 billion in economic support over the coming year.
There have also been longstanding close Saudi-Pakistan military ties, with frequent exercises, and deployments of Pakistani troops and especially Pakistani pilots to help fly Saudi military aircraft.
Saudi support has likely long enabled Pakistan to acquire nuclear weapons technology and many non-nuclear weapons from China.
These may now include over 130 nuclear weapons, such as the 2,200km range solid-fuel Ababeel missile capable of lofting 3 to 8 nuclear warheads, the single-warhead 2,750km range Shaheen-III, the 70km range NASR tactical battlefield nuclear missile, and the 900km range Babur land-attack cruise missile — all developed with Chinese assistance.
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Nuclear power Pakistan extends ‘strategic deterrent’ to Saudis (on behalf of CCP) added by Editor Two on
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