Hakan Fidan, Turkey's Foreign Minister, warned on October 23 in Istanbul against any new attack on Iran, noting that such an action would escalate tensions and further expand the war in the country. He added that the only solution to the current crisis is diplomacy and dialogue.
Meeting of Regional and European Countries
On this day, Fidan met with his counterparts from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy to discuss developments in the Iran war, the Iranian-backed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, and the war in Ukraine. This meeting was the first collective session between the four regional countries (R4) and three European countries (E3) along with Italy.
Agreement on Not Attacking Iran
Fidan announced at a press conference after the meeting: "We all agree that a new attack on Iran will expand the war in the region." He emphasized that "military intervention in Iran is not a solution, and currently, no one endorses this action." The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, also stated after the meeting that renewed tensions between Iran and the United States would only be detrimental to both sides and would increase oil prices.
These remarks came after a report from The New York Times claimed that the U.S. and Israeli militaries have specific plans for renewed attacks on Iran following the U.S. congressional elections next month. According to the report, potential targets include energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and Iran's missile and drone arsenal.
The U.S. government has also stated that an attack on Iran will not occur before the midterm elections and that "effective" negotiations with Tehran are ongoing. In this context, Fidan mentioned that the countries present at the meeting on Friday discussed possible parameters to prevent the escalation of war in Iran, but did not provide further details.
After the meeting, Johan Wadephol, Germany's Foreign Minister, stated that Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are ready to negotiate with Iran to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons and to support Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Read more: Earthquake in Tibet, China Claims at Least 16 Lives · The U.S. Announced the Withdrawal of Its Diplomats from Saudi Arabia
