ISTANBUL, 24 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday warned that any renewed attack on Iran would intensify tensions and widen the regional conflict, stressing that diplomacy and dialogue remained the only viable way to end the war. Fidan made the remarks after meeting his counterparts from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Britain and Italy in Istanbul to discuss developments in the Iran war, attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed Houthi militants and Russia’s war in Ukraine. The meeting marked the first collective gathering of the Regional Four (R4) and European Union’s E3 countries, alongside Italy. “We are all in agreement that a new attack on Iran would expand the war in the region,” Fidan said at a press conference, adding that military intervention was not a solution and had no current support among the participating countries. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also warned that renewed escalation between Iran and the United States would leave all sides worse off and push oil prices higher.

The statements followed a New York Times report on Wednesday that the US and Israeli militaries had developed specific plans for renewed strikes against Iran after next month’s US midterm congressional elections. Citing US officials, the report said potential targets could include Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone capabilities. US President Donald Trump said earlier this month that Washington would not attack Iran before the midterm elections, citing what he described as productive talks with Tehran aimed at ending the six-month-old war. On Friday, Trump said the United States could end the conflict quickly but questioned whether Washington should pursue an immediate conclusion or allow the war to wind down gradually. NATO member Turkey has maintained close contact with Washington, Tehran and regional mediators in an effort to end the conflict. Ankara has repeatedly called for a halt to attacks and warned against further regional escalation. Fidan said the foreign ministers had also discussed possible arrangements to prevent the war in Iran from spreading further, but did not provide details. Following the meeting, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany, France and Britain were prepared to negotiate with Iran to ensure that it did not acquire nuclear weapons. He also called for support for Saudi Arabia and Yemen amid the continuing regional tensions.