R4, European powers confer on Gulf tensions at Istanbul talks
Developments in the Gulf region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran came under discussion as the R4 foreign ministers – Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye – met with their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The R4 group, comprising Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, emerged in March and has been […]
Foreign ministers from eight countries met in Istanbul on Friday in an unprecedented format to urge diplomacy and peaceful solutions across the Middle East. The group included representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy, alongside the "R4" group consisting of Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye. The ministers met at a hotel overlooking the Bosphorus following separate meetings between European and regional diplomats.
The discussions centered on regional tensions, including the conflict between the US and Iran, potential US-Israeli strikes on Iran, and attacks on Saudi Arabia by Houthi rebels from Yemen. According to Free Malaysia Today, the ministers also addressed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked in the Iran war.
The National UAE reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that military intervention is not a solution and that a repeated attack on Iran could further spread regional conflict.
Addressing the potential for further conflict, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that a new escalation between Iran and the US would "create nothing but losers" and would have serious consequences for hydrocarbon prices. Free Malaysia Today notes that the group intends to call on all sides to exercise utmost restraint to avoid further escalation.
Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Times, Free Malaysia Today, The National UAE — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers urge restraint at Istanbul talks thenationalnews.com
- European, Middle East foreign ministers push for peace at Istanbul talks freemalaysiatoday.com
- European, Mideast foreign ministers hold talks in Istanbul al-monitor.com
