Fidan attends Riyadh meeting on regional crisis with Arab, Islamic ministers
2026-03-18 - 08:49
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is attending a regional meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East, according to an official statement from Türkiye's Foreign Ministry. The gathering brings together diplomatic leaders from across the region as tensions continue to mount following the Feb. 28 escalation. Regional Diplomatic Push The Riyadh meeting, described by Saudi officials as a consultative session for enhanced dialogue among participating nations, focuses on supporting regional security and preventing further deterioration across the Middle East . The gathering includes key diplomats from Gulf Cooperation Council states, other Arab League members, and select Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries facing direct impacts from the ongoing conflict . Fidan's participation reflects Türkiye's active diplomatic engagement with regional partners, following recent phone consultations with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan and other regional leaders . Conflict Context The urgent consultations come against the backdrop of intense regional turmoil that began Feb. 28, when joint US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets triggered Tehran's retaliatory missile and drone barrages. Iran has targeted what it describes as US military assets across multiple countries, including Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf nations, with Saudi Arabia alone intercepting hundreds of drones and missiles aimed at its territory since the conflict began . The attacks have caused infrastructure damage, civilian casualties, and widespread disruption to global trade and aviation, with the Strait of Hormuz closure impacting approximately 20 million barrels of daily oil shipments . Türkiye's Role Ankara has maintained communication channels with all parties while advocating for de-escalation and a return to dialogue. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan have held multiple calls with regional and Western leaders since the conflict began, reinforcing Türkiye's message that diplomacy must be given a chance to prevent further bloodshed and regional destabilization . The Riyadh meeting represents the latest platform for coordinated regional responses as Arab and Islamic nations seek to contain a crisis that increasingly threatens to engulf the entire Middle East.