Fidan: Military intervention against Iran is no solution; Strait of Hormuz must open

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the countries participating in the Istanbul meetings agree that any new attack on Iran would expand the war in the region, calling for the Strait of Hormuz to be opened and energy and grain to be excluded from the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the countries participating in the meetings hosted by Istanbul on Friday agreed that any new attack on Iran would once again expand the scope of the war and conflict in the region.

Speaking at a press conference after the meeting of the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, followed by their expanded meeting with the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy, Fidan said: “Military intervention against Iran is not a solution in any way,” noting that they had reached something close to a consensus that dialogue and diplomacy were the right way forward.

Fidan stressed the need to open the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible.

Energy and grain

Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war, Fidan called on the two sides to exclude energy and grain from the war if it could not be stopped, saying: “Either the war must stop, or, if it does not, the energy and grain sectors should be excluded by both sides. You know that Türkiye made this possible two and a half years ago.”

He explained that the main issue now was how to deliver the grain in Ukraine and Russia to global markets, and that proposals on this matter were being discussed with the parties concerned. He expressed hope that a ceasefire and then a peace agreement could be reached as soon as possible, and that the security and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea could be ensured.