Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on March 20, Turkish diplomatic sources said, as Ankara stepped up contacts with regional capitals over the widening war in the Middle East.
No further details on the meeting were immediately provided.
Fidan’s visit came as Türkiye intensified diplomatic outreach following the conflict that began with the U.S.-Israeli offensive on Iran on Feb. 28 and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes across the region.
In recent remarks, Fidan said Türkiye opposed the expansion of the war and had urged Iran not to target Gulf countries, warning that broader instability would exceed the region’s capacity to absorb it.
The meeting in Abu Dhabi also took place against the backdrop of continued attacks on the UAE.
The Emirates News Agency, citing the UAE Defense Ministry, said air defenses intercepted four ballistic missiles and 26 drones on March 20. It said that since the start of the conflict, the UAE had engaged 338 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,740 drones.
According to the same statement, the attacks have resulted in the deaths of two members of the armed forces and six foreign nationals, while 158 people have been injured, including citizens of Türkiye and several other countries.
Ankara has sought to keep open channels with Gulf states as the war’s fallout spreads beyond Iran and Israel, with energy security, regional stability and the safety of civilians emerging as the most urgent concerns.
