Foreign ministers from eight European and regional countries have agreed to strengthen diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iran conflict and restore freedom of navigation in the Middle East and the Black Sea, following their first meeting in a new format in Istanbul.
Representatives from Germany, Turkey, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia discussed the war involving Iran, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, continuing attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the countries intended to work together towards solutions to the Iran conflict and the resumption of unrestricted shipping. “We speak here with one voice when we say: enough is enough,” he said on the sidelines of the meeting. The countries had decided to use all available diplomatic channels and engage with parties directly or indirectly affected by the conflicts, he added.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said there was agreement that “diplomacy and dialogue are the only way forward”. At the conclusion of the discussions, he called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened and attacks on Saudi Arabia to end, arguing that the negative effects on markets must be brought to a halt.
Fidan rejected military intervention against Iran as a solution, saying: “Nobody currently supports that either.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also warned against further escalation in the Iran war, saying it would “produce nothing but losers” and would undoubtedly have serious consequences for oil and gas prices. He called for the greatest possible restraint.
Wadephul urged Iran and the Houthi militia to stop attacks on international shipping. He accused them of using maritime attacks to exert pressure on the global economy and said they were responsible for destabilising the Middle East, contributing to humanitarian crises in Yemen and worsening food crises in the Global South.
The ministers also addressed attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea involving both Russia and Ukraine. Wadephul said the eight countries had agreed to make every effort to ensure that Russian and Ukrainian grain could continue to be exported. He appealed to Russia to agree to arrangements that would permit the shipments to resume.
Fidan called for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, saying all participants in the Istanbul meeting supported the proposal. He said freedom of navigation needed to be restored, particularly to facilitate grain exports. If the war continued, he added, Russia and Ukraine would need to reach another agreement allowing exports to proceed.
The meeting brought together the three countries of the established E3 diplomatic grouping — Germany, France and the United Kingdom — alongside Italy and four countries from the wider region. The E3 format has been operating for more than 20 years and was established in connection with negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Italy joined the European grouping for the new R4+E3 format, while Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey had responded to the Iran war earlier this year by forming a defence alliance. Egypt also participated in the Istanbul discussions through its foreign minister.
Barrot said the eight countries had decided to meet regularly following what he described as “very constructive discussions”.
