Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Türkiye’s main priority is to stop the war in the Middle East and prevent it from leaving behind long-term instability across the region.
Speaking to the A Haber news channel, Fidan said Ankara has sought from the outset to prevent the conflict, contain its fallout, and keep Türkiye out of it. “Our number one goal is to stop the war,” he said, adding that it was crucial to prevent the fighting from spreading to other countries and creating “lasting hostilities and instability in the region.”
He said wars often leave behind years of mistrust that undermine cooperation, development, and prosperity, adding that Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts are aimed at preventing such an outcome.
Fidan said contacts to end the conflict had gained momentum and that some progress appeared to be taking shape in negotiations. He said messages were being passed through Pakistan and that the United States was coordinating with Türkiye, while Ankara was relaying information to Iran.
According to Fidan, diplomatic traffic has intensified since the early phase of the crisis, with officials from Europe, Russia, China, and other Asian countries frequently contacting Türkiye to assess developments and explore ways to stop the fighting. He said there was strong international demand for negotiations but added that this expectation had to be translated into concrete steps.
Fidan also said a meeting involving Türkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia could take place in Pakistan over the weekend to review the negotiations and consider possible action. He described Pakistan as a central actor in the process and said he remained in regular contact with Egyptian, European, and other regional counterparts.
On the regional fallout, Fidan said Ankara was warning against what he called Israeli expansionism and efforts that could deepen discord across the Middle East. He also said several Gulf countries had come under Iranian missile and drone attacks and that Türkiye had advised restraint, warning that retaliatory steps could create lasting consequences and prolong the conflict.
He said discussions in Riyadh had focused on the countries targeted by Iran but added that Türkiye viewed those attacks as part of a broader crisis triggered by U.S. and Israeli actions. Fidan also argued that Israel’s stance remained the main obstacle to peace while stressing that further military escalation before real progress in ceasefire and peace efforts could make the situation irreversible.
Regarding Gaza, Fidan said preventing the depopulation of the enclave remained one of Türkiye’s priorities. He said humanitarian issues, including aid deliveries, shelter, and border crossings, continued to occupy a central place in Ankara’s diplomatic agenda.
He also warned of the risk of a wider sectarian escalation, saying the involvement of armed groups in Iraq and missile activity across the region could trigger broader confrontations if not contained quickly. Türkiye, he said, was engaging with regional leaders as well as non-state actors to prevent the conflict from turning into a wider sectarian war.
Fidan said the Strait of Hormuz remained a critical chokepoint, warning that any disruption there would have far-reaching consequences for global trade, energy prices, and food supply chains. He added that proposals were being discussed to secure maritime passage, including possible arrangements that could provide transit guarantees for some vessels, including Turkish ships.
He also said rising energy and logistics costs were already weighing on economies, while alternative transport and energy routes through Türkiye were becoming more important as global supply chains adjusted to the crisis.
Fidan reiterated that Ankara supported a broader regional framework based on cooperation among Iran, Gulf countries, Türkiye, Pakistan, and Egypt, saying such a structure could produce economic, political, and security gains if realized.
