Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is hosting his counterparts from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Germany in Istanbul on Friday for the first-ever meeting of the newly created R4+E3 format. The Palestinian issue, developments in Yemen and the Strait of Hormuz, and efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war are on the agenda, and the meeting was initiated by Ankara, according to a Turkish diplomatic source.
.jpg){kind=link}
What the R4+E3 Istanbul talks are and why today matters
The meeting, hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, will be the first to bring together the so-called E3 group of Britain, France and Germany and the newly created R4 group, Reuters reported from Ankara on Thursday, citing a Turkish diplomatic source.
The E3 was set up more than 20 years ago to coordinate diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program. The R4 was formed this year and brings together Egypt and the signatories to the Makkah Defense Agreement, a mutual defense pact set up by Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in August, according to Agence France-Presse.
Reuters reported the meeting comes as wars involving Iran, Yemen and Ukraine threaten shipping routes and regional security — the backdrop that made Ankara push for the two groups to meet at one table.
What's on the agenda
The ministers are expected to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian issue, the latest situation in the Strait of Hormuz, developments related to Yemen, and efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, the Turkish diplomatic source said.
Fidan, who will chair the meeting, is expected to focus on the international community "increasing pressure on Israel" in response to its settlement expansion and what the source described as its "encouragement of settler terrorism," AFP reported. He will also underline support for Saudi Arabia's security in the face of attacks by Yemen's Houthis, and stress the need for permanent freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
On Ukraine, Fidan is expected to reiterate Turkiye's ongoing "warnings and proposals" aimed at preventing the Russia-Ukraine war from spreading to the Black Sea and to draw a line under the civilian deaths there.
Reuters added one more element: Fidan is expected to emphasise the need for a diplomatic solution to the war between the United States and Iran — a notable framing, given how much of the current regional tension flows through that conflict.
Why it matters
This is the first time the seven countries have sat down in this combined format — a deliberate move by Turkiye to bridge Europe and the region at one table.
For Pakistan, the meeting puts Islamabad at a table with Britain, France and Germany alongside its Makkah pact partners Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan's presence in the R4 group is a direct consequence of the defence pact it signed with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia in August — a pact Turkiye's parliament moved to ratify this week, as Global Desk News reported.
The Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb agenda items carry the sharpest economic edge. Houthi attacks on Saudi targets have already rattled energy markets — Brent crude recently crossed $113 — and repeated missile interceptions, including the recent Houthi ballistic missile aimed at Najran, underline why freedom of navigation is a first-order priority for every country at the table.
What happens next
The Turkish source said the ministers would explore "opportunities for cooperation and coordination that could be put into practice ... in the coming period." In diplomatic terms, that's language for testing whether this format sticks. If today's meeting produces a joint statement or a follow-up schedule, the R4+E3 format becomes a standing channel; if it doesn't, it was a one-off.
Watch for any communiqué on Yemen and Hormuz in particular — with US-Iran tensions still high and US and Israeli military planning around Iran already reported, even a short joint statement calling for de-escalation would carry weight.
Key Takeaways
- Hakan Fidan hosts foreign ministers from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Germany in Istanbul on Friday, October 23, 2026 — the first-ever R4+E3 format meeting, initiated by Turkiye.
- The agenda covers the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Yemen, the Strait of Hormuz, and ending the Russia-Ukraine war, with shipping-route security as a central concern.
- Fidan will stress a diplomatic solution to the US-Iran war, freedom of navigation in the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb straits, and support for Saudi Arabia's security against Houthi attacks under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
- The E3 group dates back more than 20 years; the R4 group was formed this year around the Makkah Defense Agreement signed by Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in August.
- The outcome — any joint statement or follow-up schedule — will decide whether R4+E3 becomes a standing diplomatic channel or stays a one-off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the R4+E3 format?
The R4+E3 format combines two diplomatic groups: the E3 (Britain, France and Germany, coordinating on Iran diplomacy for more than 20 years) and the newly created R4 (Egypt, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan). Friday's Istanbul meeting is the first time the seven countries have met in this combined format, at Turkiye's initiative.
Which countries are taking part in the Istanbul talks?
Seven foreign ministers: host Turkiye's Hakan Fidan, joined by his counterparts from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Germany. The lineup bridges the Middle East, South Asia and Europe, reflecting how interconnected the crises on the agenda have become.
What is on the agenda of the R4+E3 talks?
According to the Turkish diplomatic source, the ministers will discuss the Israeli-Palestinian issue, the latest situation in the Strait of Hormuz, developments related to Yemen, efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, and opportunities for closer cooperation between the regional and European countries.
What is the Makkah Defence Agreement?
It is a mutual defense pact signed by Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in August 2026, also called the Mecca Defense Agreement. The R4 group brings Egypt together with the pact's three signatories. Turkiye's parliament moved to ratify the agreement this week, and Fidan is expected to reference it when voicing support for Saudi Arabia's security against Houthi attacks.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz on the agenda?
Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait are chokepoints for global energy shipping, and wars involving Iran and Yemen are threatening them, according to Reuters. Houthi attacks on Saudi targets have already rattled oil markets, so freedom of navigation is a first-order priority for every country at the Istanbul table.
Why does this meeting matter for Pakistan?
Pakistan is there as a member of the R4 group through its Makkah pact with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, giving Islamabad a seat at a table that also includes Britain, France and Germany. With Yemen, Hormuz and the US-Iran standoff all on the agenda, Pakistan's diplomacy is now operating in a wider circle than the traditional regional one.
Sources
- Reuters — "Turkey to host regional and European foreign ministers for talks on regional conflicts, source says" (October 22, 2026; reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu, writing by Ece Toksabay)
- Agence France-Presse, via Kuwait Times — "Turkey hosts first meeting of European, Mideast ministers" (October 22, 2026)
- Arab News — "Top European, Mideast diplomats to meet in Istanbul Friday: Turkish diplomatic source" (October 22, 2026)
By GlobalDeskNews Staff | October 23, 2026