Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia urge diplomacy, safe passage through Hormuz

• R4 ministers backed the Islamabad MoU and called for dialogue to resolve the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
• They rejected restrictions on lawful navigation, warning that shipping disruptions threaten energy, fertiliser and food supplies.
• The four countries reaffirmed support for a Palestinian state and condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and commercial vessels.

Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have called for a diplomatic settlement of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and the swift restoration of safe, secure and unhindered shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

🔊 PR No. 3️⃣0️⃣5️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Joint Statement on the R4 Ministerial Meeting (Istanbul, 23 October 2026) 🔗⬇️ https://t.co/FnDl86yDoN

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 23, 2026

In a joint statement following their October 23 meeting in Istanbul, the four countries’ foreign ministers endorsed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and supported continued diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 participated today in the first meeting in Istanbul with the Foreign Ministers of the R4 (Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt), along with their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The meeting provided an opportunity for exchange of views on regional developments in the Gulf region, their social and economic impacts, and the urgent need to foster diplomatic engagement to resolve regional challenges of peace, security, and stability. The DPM/FM briefed his counterparts on the diplomatic and mediatory role Pakistan continues to play in de-escalating tensions, preventing resumption of hostilities and promoting peace. All Ministers agreed for continued engagement in this format.

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 23, 2026

The ministers said dialogue and diplomacy must guide efforts to resolve the conflict. They also demanded an end to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including vessels, and reaffirmed their commitment to a lasting negotiated settlement.

The four-country grouping, known as R4, said its joint efforts sought to promote peace and stability across the region and beyond, in line with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.

Warning of the wider consequences of maritime insecurity, the ministers said disruptions to shipping routes were obstructing global supply chains and the movement of energy, fertiliser and food. These interruptions threatened countries’ security and prosperity, with vulnerable populations facing consequences both within and outside the region.

They rejected measures that restrict lawful navigation and stressed the need to protect navigational rights and freedoms, alongside lasting maritime safety and security. The statement called for collective international efforts to address the disruption and fully restore passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Palestine, the ministers described the Israeli occupation as a fundamental cause of instability in the region and beyond. They said Israeli policies had generated a deep sense of injustice in global public opinion.

The four countries urged the early implementation of a two-state solution under relevant UN resolutions and reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights, including their inalienable right to self-determination.

They supported the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The ministers demanded an urgent end to Israeli violence, further destruction and the humanitarian tragedy in Palestine. They also opposed attempts to change Jerusalem’s legal and historical status.

The statement condemned past and continuing Israeli settlement activities in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, along with settler violence against Palestinians. It also called for uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Gaza and reconstruction in the territory.

Addressing Yemen, the ministers condemned what they described as an unacceptable escalation by the Houthi militia, saying its actions had worsened humanitarian suffering.

They denounced continued Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Expressing full solidarity with the governments of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the ministers urged the Houthis to immediately halt military actions, threats and attacks and return to the political process in good faith.

The four foreign ministers agreed to remain in close consultation and coordinate their positions on the issues covered in the statement.