Regional and European ministers in Istanbul say a new attack on Iran would widen the war; Iran's military chief says US warships cannot re-enter the Gulf
Foreign ministers from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt met counterparts from the UK, France, Germany and Italy in Istanbul on Friday, without the US or Iran. On Saturday Iran's armed forces chief of staff, Ali Abdollahi, said the US Navy could not return to the Persian Gulf.
Foreign ministers from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt met counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy in Istanbul on Friday 23 October to coordinate on the war between the US, Israel and Iran. Neither the US nor Iran took part, Al Jazeera reported.
“We agree that a new attack on Iran would widen the war and spread the conflict across the region,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said after the meeting. “Military intervention in Iran is by no means a solution.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin held Iran and Yemen’s Houthis responsible for instability in the Middle East. In a separate joint statement, the four regional ministers said “Israeli occupation” was the main source of instability, backed the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed in June and a negotiated settlement, called for unrestricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, opposed attacks on civilians and commercial ships, and condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
On Saturday, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Ali Abdollahi, said in a statement carried by state media that the US Navy could not re-enter Iranian waters or the surrounding area. “The US president can only dream of their soldiers and military again entering the Persian Gulf,” he said. Nour News, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the US and European powers must make concessions first.
Background: The war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February. A US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, and Iran has restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump told a rally in Florida on Friday that the US military “may do another Epic Fury”, the name of the opening US bombing campaign, Al Jazeera reported. See also: Trump says the US could end the Iran war ‘very quickly’ or let it ‘wither’ and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say seven vessels were hit in the Gulf.
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