Muslim, EU FMs to meet in Istanbul

A new diplomatic configuration linking four key Muslim powers with Europe's three most influential countries is taking shape in Istanbul, where foreign ministers of the R4 and E3 groups will meet on Friday against the backdrop of growing tensions involving Iran, Yemen, the Gulf and the wider Middle East.

The meeting will be the first-ever R4-E3 gathering, bringing together Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on one side and Britain, France and Germany on the other.

Hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the meeting is being held at Ankara's initiative and comes at a time when several conflicts are converging around the same strategic fault lines that include regional security, energy supplies, maritime routes and the risk of wider war.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan will join Fidan in Istanbul.

The choice of participants is itself significant. The R4 represents a grouping of major regional players from Muslim world, while the E3 brings together the three principal European powers that have traditionally played a central role in diplomacy over Iran and wider Middle Eastern security.

The Istanbul meeting therefore creates a rare forum where regional and European powers will sit together to discuss conflicts that directly affect both sides.

The Iran-US confrontation has placed the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of international security concerns, while the latest Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have added another dangerous dimension to the regional crisis. At the same time, the security of the Bab el-Mandeb and other maritime routes remains a major concern for global trade and energy supplies.

Against this backdrop, Turkish media reports say the ministers will discuss the Palestinian issue, the situation in Hormuz, developments in Yemen and diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. They will also examine areas where the R4 and E3 could cooperate more closely.

Fidan is expected to push the argument that regional security cannot be achieved through military means alone and that disputes must be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy.

He is also expected to stress the importance of keeping both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb open, reflecting concerns that further escalation could disrupt already vulnerable international shipping routes.

The Turkish foreign minister is further expected to underline Ankara's support for Saudi Arabia's security following Houthi attacks and to argue that conflicts in the region should not be allowed to feed into one another or spread into new theatres.