Turkey: New attack on Iran would widen conflict; dialogue is the only way
Foreign ministers of 8 countries meet in Istanbul to discuss the Iran and Strait of Hormuz crisis, rejecting military intervention and calling for dialogue.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
In remarks following his meeting with his counterparts from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy in Istanbul, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that none of the participating countries had agreed to further military intervention or an attack on Iran.
The foreign ministers of eight European and Middle Eastern countries met in Istanbul on Friday in an unprecedented format to hold talks on the Strait of Hormuz and regional crises.
The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany—known as the “E3” group—along with Italy, met with their counterparts from the newly formed “R4” group, which includes Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt, to discuss the Palestinian issue, developments in Yemen and the Strait of Hormuz region, and ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The talks began at a hotel in Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorus, following separate meetings between the ministers and delegations, according to a source at the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that “everyone would be a loser” if escalation between Iran and the United States were to resume, warning of “very serious repercussions on energy prices.”
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Istanbul talks, he added, “Therefore, the first thing this group of eight countries will do is call on both sides to exercise maximum restraint, because we cannot tolerate further escalation in the region.”
For his part, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the goal was to work on “de-escalation to ensure freedom of navigation,” adding, “I do not believe this crisis can be resolved through military means alone.”
He continued, “If we want to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital to our economies, we must encourage dialogue and make it clear to Iran that this approach cannot continue.”
The office of British Foreign Secretary David Miliband noted before the talks began that they would focus primarily on “the Strait of Hormuz and the situation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The discussions would also emphasize “the repetition of Iranian tactics across the region, where attacks on Saudi Arabia lead to increased destabilization of the region and heightened pressure on vital waterways and global strategic straits, such as the Bab el-Mandeb and the Suez Canal.”
