Foreign ministers to meet in Istanbul for talks on Iran, Yemen and regional security

ISTANBUL— Foreign ministers from several European and Middle Eastern countries will gather in Istanbul on Friday, October 23, for high-level talks on mounting regional tensions, including security threats involving Iran, the war in Yemen and disruptions to international shipping routes.

The meeting, hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, will bring together the foreign ministers of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, German news agency dpa reported.

Citing German government sources, dpa said discussions will focus on the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz, threats associated with Iran, the ongoing conflict in Yemen and its impact on maritime trade. The ministers are also expected to address attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement against Saudi Arabia and the broader implications for regional stability.

Fidan is additionally expected to raise developments in the Gaza Strip, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers.

According to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency, the Turkish foreign minister will seek a stronger international response to these developments, including increased diplomatic pressure on Israel.

The agenda will also include disruptions to grain exports through the Black Sea amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. The interruption of these shipments has raised concerns about food security, particularly in countries across the Global South that depend heavily on agricultural imports from the region.

The diplomatic gathering was jointly initiated by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.

German officials expressed hope that the talks would provide renewed momentum to diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving prolonged regional conflicts and limiting their wider economic and security consequences.

Among the principal concerns are rising energy prices, disruptions to global supply chains and the growing economic pressures that instability in the Middle East and Black Sea regions could impose on Europe and other parts of the world.

The Istanbul meeting comes as Ankara continues to position itself as a diplomatic intermediary in major regional and international crises, seeking a greater role in discussions involving European powers and influential Middle Eastern states.