Istanbul:The R4 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which includes participation from Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, commenced in Istanbul on Friday. The meeting is chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the R4 mechanism was founded by Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia with the goal of promoting lasting stability and enhancing dialogue on regional issues through regional ownership.

During the meeting, Fidan is anticipated to emphasize the importance of regional security and the need for countries in the region to take primary responsibility. He is likely to advocate for the strengthening of cooperation mechanisms based on regional ownership. Additionally, Fidan is expected to address the necessity of preventing existing disputes from aggravating one another and avoiding the spread of conflicts to new areas.

Furthermore, Fidan is set to highlight Israel's ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories and its aggressive actions as primary causes of tensions in the Middle East. He will likely stress that the dispute between the US and Iran should be resolved through diplomacy, as military methods are not a sustainable solution and could escalate regional tensions.

In light of recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye's support for Saudi security and emphasize the importance of the Mecca Defense Alliance, a new collective security initiative formed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan in August.