Fidan discusses regional tensions with Qatari, Azerbaijani counterparts

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday discussed regional developments with his counterparts from Azerbaijan and Qatar, continuing Ankara's intensive diplomatic engagement amid the escalating Middle East conflict. According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan held separate phone calls with Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov.

Solidarity expressed

During the calls, the ministers also expressed their solidarity and support regarding missiles fired towards Türkiye. Türkiye's National Defense Ministry said earlier Friday that a ballistic munition fired from Iran into Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, marking the third such incident since the US-Israel war on Iran began.

Conflict context

Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, resulting in casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. The conflict has entered its 16th day with ongoing exchanges of fire and regional spillover effects.

Regional coordination

Fidan's calls with Qatari and Azerbaijani counterparts reflect Türkiye's efforts to maintain close coordination with key regional partners as the conflict expands. Qatar, which hosts US military assets and has faced repeated Iranian attacks, and Azerbaijan, which shares borders with Iran and has strategic interests in regional stability, are both important partners in managing the crisis's repercussions.