Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that Iran's armed forces had demonstrated their readiness and strength in confronting what he called the world's most expensive military, and urged Muslim countries to unite and rely on themselves in the face of "hostile outsiders."

His post on X came hours after Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defence agreement in Mecca, bringing together three Sunni Muslim US partners.

It was not immediately clear whether Araqchi was referring to the defence agreement in his remarks.