Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan believes that the Lebanese crisis “could turn into a regional conflict.” He pointed out that recent events showed that the ceasefire agreement was supposed to include Lebanon, adding: “But Netanyahu ruined the matter as usual, and America remained silent about it.”
During his hosting at Anadolu Agency, Fidan expressed his country’s confidence that Iran and the United States agree on the necessity of a ceasefire, saying: “The American and Iranian sides need a ceasefire.”
However, he stressed the importance of not ignoring what he described as “the Israeli role that is sabotaging and obstructing any ceasefire, negotiation, or ending the war.”
Fidan pointed out that the Iranian and American delegations returned to their countries to evaluate what was proposed during the talks that took place in Islamabad, especially the Iranian side, which will study the offer presented to it.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the Turkish minister explained that he does not expect the issue of freedom of passage through the Strait without restrictions or fees to pose a problem if a comprehensive and final agreement is reached between Tehran and Washington.
He also pointed out that some countries, such as Britain and France, had previously proposed establishing a mechanism to guarantee freedom of navigation through a multinational naval force, but the establishment of such a force faces great challenges in light of the continuing war and the failure to reach an agreement.
Fidan stressed that closing the Strait of Hormuz would harm many countries, including European Union countries, China, India, and Southeast Asian countries, stressing the need to involve these countries in formulating a solution to the crisis.
He concluded his speech by emphasizing that Turkey’s position is based on the necessity of opening the Strait of Hormuz by peaceful means, considering that intervention with an international armed force carries great challenges, and that international corridors must remain free and unobstructed.
Fidan’s statements come in light of the escalation of regional tensions as a result of the confrontations in Lebanon, the American-Iranian tension over the ceasefire and the nuclear issue, in addition to mutual threats related to the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the most important global energy arteries.
The Turkish position reflects an attempt to play a pivotal role in regional balances, by calling for a halt to the escalation and rejecting the militarization of the sea lanes, while directly criticizing Israeli policies in the region, amid fears that the scope of the conflict will expand to include areas other than the Lebanese arena.
