Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan cautioned on Friday that any fresh military action against Iran would dramatically expand the scope of conflict across the Middle East, according to Anadolu Agency.
Speaking to reporters following the inaugural R4+E3 meeting in Istanbul, Fidan stated bluntly that military intervention against Iran “is by no means a solution” and currently lacks international backing.
The diplomatic gathering combined the R4 group—comprising Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia—with the E3 format of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, which has coordinated on Iran’s nuclear dossier since 2003.
Reports indicate the United States and Israel have drafted contingency plans for renewed strikes on Iranian targets following the American midterm elections, raising acute concerns about regional escalation.
Addressing the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its third year, Fidan urged an immediate cessation of hostilities. Absent a full stop to the fighting, he argued, the warring parties must at minimum negotiate carve-outs to protect global energy and grain supplies.
The R4 mechanism was founded on the principle of regional ownership to foster enduring stability and bolster dialogue on shared challenges, while the E3 emerged from trilateral diplomatic cooperation focused on Iran’s nuclear program.