Iran has reportedly received an official invitation to join the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a defence pact signed by Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia earlier this month. Tehran is now considering the proposal, according to reports. The development comes at a time of growing tensions in the Middle East and continued friction between the United States and Iran.

Mehdi Rahimi, head of the Iranian Parliament news agency, reportedly disclosed that Tehran had received the invitation to join the agreement. He also said that Iran is considering the proposal. Al Mayadeen reported the development on Saturday. The report did not provide further details on when Iran received the invitation or how Tehran is expected to respond.

Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. The agreement was announced in a statement issued by Pakistan's foreign ministry and the official Saudi Press Agency. Under the pact, an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all three.

The agreement marks a major step in defence cooperation among the three countries. It seeks to strengthen their ability to respond collectively to security threats. The pact also comes as countries in the region continue to reassess their security partnerships amid rising geopolitical tensions.

US President Donald Trump welcomed the agreement after Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed it. He said he was pleased to see the three countries enter into the defence pact. Trump also linked the agreement to wider efforts by countries in the Middle East to strengthen their own security.

He wrote on Truth Social, "Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement."

"It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way," he added, calling it a "BIG, BOLD, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP."

The possibility of Iran joining the agreement adds a new dimension to the pact. Iran has long played a major role in regional security and political affairs. Its possible inclusion could have wider implications for defence cooperation in the Middle East. The development also comes against the backdrop of tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The United States and Iran continue to face significant disagreements over regional security and other strategic issues. The latest development around the Mecca agreement comes as regional countries look for ways to strengthen their security arrangements. Any decision by Iran to join the pact could therefore attract close attention across the region.

Bangladesh has also indicated that it could consider joining the defence framework. In an interview with the Bangla service of state-run BSS on Friday, newly appointed State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kobir said Dhaka has a "positive approach" towards the possibility of joining the pact.

"Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade," he said.

Kobir also said Bangladesh would work to strengthen its bilateral relationship with Pakistan through diplomatic engagement. His comments suggest that Dhaka is keeping the possibility of deeper cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey open while assessing its own interests and the changing global economic and trade environment.

The reported invitation to Iran and Bangladesh's openness to the framework could expand the significance of the Mecca agreement beyond its original three members. For now, Iran is considering the proposal, while Bangladesh has expressed a positive approach towards the possibility of joining. Any formal decision by either country could further shape the emerging defence and strategic cooperation in the region.