Foreign ministers from Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have gathered in Istanbul for an R4 meeting aimed at strengthening regional dialogue and supporting lasting stability.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chaired the meeting, which opened on Friday.

The four countries established the R4 mechanism on the basis of regional ownership, seeking to strengthen cooperation on regional issues.

Fidan is expected to stress that countries in the region must take primary responsibility for their security and underline Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening cooperation mechanisms built on that approach.

He is also expected to stress that existing disputes must not be allowed to fuel one another, conflicts must not spread to new areas, and regional tensions must not escalate into broader instability.

Diplomacy and regional security

Fidan is expected to reiterate that Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories, its uncompromising stance undermining international peace efforts and its aggression across the region are the main causes of tensions in the Middle East.

On the dispute between the US and Iran, he is expected to emphasise that diplomacy and dialogue offer the only path to a lasting resolution, warning that military action deepens regional vulnerabilities and risks a wider conflict.

Following recent attacks by the Houthi militia targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s support for safeguarding the kingdom’s security.

He is also expected to highlight the solidarity and collective security approach of the Mecca Defence Alliance, formed in August by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.