Fidan in talks with Egypt, Iran, US, EU to end war

2026-03-22 - 23:59

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan engaged in a series of diplomatic calls Sunday with key regional and international actors to discuss pathways toward ending the war ignited by the US-Israeli offensive against Iran. The outreach underscores Ankara's active mediation efforts as the conflict enters its fourth week. Dialogue with Cairo, Tehran, Washington and Brussels According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan held separate telephone conversations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and officials from the United States. The discussions centered on "steps to end" the ongoing hostilities. No further details about the calls were released, but the wide-ranging engagement reflects Türkiye's diplomatic reach across opposing sides of the conflict. Conflict continues to escalate The diplomatic push comes as the US-Israel joint offensive against Iran, launched Feb. 28, has claimed more than 1,300 lives, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with sustained drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation. The cycle of violence has shown no signs of abating. Strait of Hormuz closure adds urgency Since early March, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to most shipping—a vital waterway that normally handles approximately 20 million barrels of oil daily, accounting for one-fifth of global supply, alongside 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas trade. The closure has driven up shipping and insurance costs, pushed oil prices higher and raised global economic concerns, adding further urgency to international efforts to end the conflict.