UPDATE - Turkish foreign minister warns new attack on Iran would escalate regional conflict

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER

By Zehra Nur Celik and Esra Tekin

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) - The Turkish foreign minister warned on Friday that a new attack on Iran would further spread war and conflict across the region.

“Military intervention in Iran is by no means a solution. No one supports this at the moment,” Hakan Fidan told reporters after an R4+E3 meeting in Istanbul, the first-ever meeting in this format.

The foreign ministers from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, the UK, alongside Italy came together in Istanbul to discuss latest regional and international developments.

The US and Israel are said to have developed plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the American midterm elections.

The war that began in late February has yet to be settled despite a ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding to finalize a peace deal.

Fidan said the participating countries shared the view that further military action against the Islamic Republic could intensify regional instability.

He said the countries represented at the meeting wanted to prevent further escalation and supported ending the conflicts in the Gulf region and Ukraine as soon as possible through ceasefires and lasting peace agreements.

“Türkiye has long maintained that diplomacy is the best way forward. This view is also shared by the other countries. They are not only sharing it but also actively advocating it,” he said.

Fidan stressed that the countries in the format needed to maintain a coordinated position on the regional crises.

He called for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen as soon as possible, warning that disruptions to maritime traffic were adversely affecting international markets.

The R4 mechanism was established by Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to promote regional ownership, strengthen dialogue and support lasting stability.

The E3 grouping, comprising Germany, the UK and France, emerged from trilateral diplomatic cooperation on Iran's nuclear program launched in 2003.

- Regional and European cooperation

Fidan described the meeting as one of the most significant diplomatic gatherings in recent months, citing its agenda and the participation of countries from Europe and the Middle East.

He said Istanbul's position at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, near the Turkish straits, gave the gathering additional symbolic importance.

Thanking the foreign ministers, Fidan said their willingness to address shared concerns through solidarity and cooperation was encouraging. He also called for attacks against Saudi Arabia to stop, noting that the participants had discussed diplomatic options for achieving this.

Fidan said the R4 and R4+E3 formats complemented each other by bringing together countries affected by interconnected developments in Europe and the Middle East.

Fidan described the combined platform as informal and flexible, allowing participants to exchange views, develop common policies and identify practical steps where necessary.

He said conflicts in one region increasingly affected the other, making closer coordination between European and Middle Eastern countries essential.

- US-Iran tensions and maritime security

Addressing tensions between Washington and Tehran, Fidan said the situation could develop toward either diplomacy or further warfare, depending on the positions taken by the countries directly involved, regional governments and major international actors.

He said the participants had discussed ways to resolve the crisis without allowing the conflict to spread or cause further destruction.

Fidan clarified that advocating dialogue did not mean accepting violations of other countries' rights or agreeing to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

He also highlighted the consequences of disruptions to maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as well as deteriorating maritime security in the Black Sea.

These developments were affecting global energy supplies, food security and international trade, placing economic and financial pressure on governments, consumers and markets, he said.

Fidan noted that insecurity in the Black Sea had disrupted grain exports, affecting food supplies in regions including the Middle East and Africa. Meanwhile, he said, restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz had contributed to energy concerns and rising prices in Europe.

He said the interconnected nature of these challenges made cooperation between the two regions increasingly necessary.

- Energy and grain exemptions amid Russia-Ukraine war

Turning to the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan said all participants supported an immediate ceasefire, followed by a peace agreement.

He also emphasized the need to restore freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Black Sea. “Either the war should stop, or, if it does not stop, the parties should introduce exemptions for energy and grain,” he said.

Fidan recalled Türkiye's role in facilitating the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative, which helped maintain grain exports during the conflict and reduce the war's impact on international markets.

He argued that although Russia and Ukraine continued to fight, other countries and global markets should not bear the same economic consequences.

Fidan said Türkiye had discussed possible solutions with the relevant parties and was continuing consultations on proposals to transport grain held in Russia and Ukraine to international markets.

He expressed hope that the truce and peace agreement would resolve the issue at its source.

- Anti-Türkiye rhetoric in Israeli election campaign

Responding to a question about comments targeting Türkiye ahead of elections in Israel, Fidan said Ankara categorically rejected attempts to use the country as a political target.

“We categorically reject the use of Türkiye in the rhetoric being employed in Israel as the country heads toward elections,” he said.

Fidan criticized attempts by some radical political parties to attract voters by criticizing and demonizing Türkiye, describing such tactics as cheap political maneuvering.

He added that the rhetoric did not warrant being taken too seriously.

- Support for stability in Libya

Fidan also addressed the maritime jurisdiction agreement signed between Türkiye and Libya in 2019, saying the legally valid agreement should not be turned into a source of political controversy.

He expressed surprise at the debate surrounding the agreement's consideration by Libya's House of Representatives, and said Ankara was aware of Greece's efforts to challenge it within the European Union.

Türkiye would continue its efforts to support stability in Libya, Fidan said.

The foreign minister acknowledged Egypt had reservations about the memorandum of understanding, but noted that Ankara had discussed the issue with Cairo for several years and maintained a constructive approach.

Fidan said Türkiye, Italy and Egypt could hold talks to address the concerns.

“Positive and constructive approaches can certainly be put forward. They should be. We have no problem with that. I also conveyed this to my Egyptian counterpart. This is also the position of our president,” he said.

Fidan argued that the time was right to work toward lasting unity between eastern and western Libya, and that Türkiye and other international actors were pursuing efforts to achieve this goal.

He said the process would require both political reunification and the integration of the country's separate military structures under a national army.

“If the country is to be unified, these structures must come together under a national army,” he said.

Fidan added that a key challenge was determining how military forces currently controlled separately by the two sides could be brought together under a unified framework. “Hopefully, you will soon hear some good news from Türkiye on this matter,” he said.