Ishaq Dar heads to Istanbul for R4, R4+E3 foreign ministers’ meetings

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday to participate in the R4 foreign ministers’ meeting, which will include Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt. This meeting will be followed by an R4+E3 gathering, involving all seven countries, with Foreign Office officials stating it will be the first meeting of its kind.

The discussions will focus on regional developments and coordinated diplomatic approaches to tackle shared challenges and promote peace and stability. During his visit, Dar is also expected to engage in bilateral meetings with his counterparts.

The R4 group, established this year, comprises Egypt alongside the signatories to the Mecca Defence Agreement, a mutual defense pact including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. The E3 group, comprising the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, has been coordinating over Iran's nuclear program for over two decades. Top European diplomats will meet their regional counterparts in Istanbul to discuss the Palestinian situation, developments in Yemen and the Strait of Hormuz, and potential solutions to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, hosting the meeting, emphasized the importance of regional security and urged the countries to assume responsibility, stressing that "regional security first and foremost requires countries of the region to assume responsibility."