Egypt is preparing to host the fourth meeting of the Quadrilateral Mechanism comprising Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye and Pakistan, as the four countries continue consultations aimed at easing tensions stemming from the conflict involving Iran. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar discussed arrangements for the meeting during a phone call, according to a statement issued by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday. The ministers agreed on the importance of maintaining close coordination among the four countries amid what the statement described as dangerous developments in the region. They also discussed efforts to support the US-Iran negotiating track. The first meeting of the mechanism was held in Riyadh on March 20, followed by a second meeting in Pakistan on March 29. The third meeting took place in the Turkish city of Antalya on April 17 on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. According to Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, participants at the latest meeting discussed ways to strengthen coordination in response to fast-moving regional developments, follow the course of US-Iran negotiations, and continue efforts to de-escalate tensions and contain the conflict. They also discussed prospects for restoring regional security and stability and the future of the regional order after the current conflict. The meeting brought together Abdelatty, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar. The ministers exchanged assessments of the conflict’s impact on the global economy and discussed ways to mitigate disruptions to international shipping, supply chains, food security, energy security, and oil prices. Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tamim Khallaf said Abdelatty and Dar also exchanged views during their latest call on regional developments and stressed the importance of continued political and diplomatic efforts to contain the current escalation. The two ministers also emphasized the importance of prioritizing diplomatic solutions to prevent the conflict from widening and to contain the current escalation, citing the serious security, economic and geopolitical consequences of the conflict for the region and the wider world, according to the ministry.
