Erdogan urges dialogue as Turkey convenes regional talks
Turkey hosted a diplomatic forum bringing together regional leaders as efforts to end the Middle East war intensified, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying “the shortest cut to peace is constructive dialogue and diplomacy”.
Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Erdogan said, “I believe the window of opportunity opened by the ceasefire should be used in the most effective way to establish lasting peace,” adding, “No matter how deep the disagreements may be, we must not allow words to be replaced again by weapons.”
Foreign ministers from Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt held talks on the sidelines of the forum hours after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was open to commercial shipping.
Minister of Foreign Affairs @HakanFidan hosted the Third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of Türkiye-Egypt-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia, on the margins of the Fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum. pic.twitter.com/EQlVgyK3wO
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) April 17, 2026