Foreign ministers of Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt will discuss regional security and stability later this month

ISLAMABAD: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday invited Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to a four-nation ministerial meeting involving Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in Istanbul later this month.

Fidan extended the invitation during a telephone conversation with Dar, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.

During the call, the two ministers exchanged views on recent regional developments and discussed diplomatic efforts aimed at strengthening peace and stability.

Dar accepted the invitation and confirmed Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming R-4 meeting.

Regional Powers Deepen Security Coordination

The meeting comes as major regional states strengthen diplomatic and security coordination amid the continuing US-Israel war with Iran and instability across the Middle East.

Furthermore, the conflict has disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and increased security concerns across Gulf states.

The four foreign ministers will meet weeks after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7.

Under the agreement, the three countries regard an armed attack against one member as an attack against all three.

Türkiye has stressed that the arrangement does not target Iran or any other country and remains open to additional regional participants.

Egypt Seen as Potential Defence Pact Member

Meanwhile, Turkish officials have identified Egypt as a potential future member of the emerging security framework.

Fidan previously said Ankara wanted the initiative to expand beyond its three founding countries once participating governments resolved technical issues.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has similarly expressed support for bringing additional regional states under the framework.

Under the existing agreement, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye plan to establish high-level political and military coordination mechanisms.

Moreover, the three countries intend to conduct joint land, naval and air exercises while expanding cooperation in air defence, unmanned systems and defence manufacturing.

The Istanbul meeting could therefore provide another platform for discussing broader regional security cooperation and Egypt’s potential role in the developing framework.