Tajani: We Fear Resumption of Gulf Confrontation After U.S. Election

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani warned ahead of his departure to Istanbul that multiple indicators suggest the possibility of military operations resuming in the Gulf region following the U.S. election, stressing that a renewed conflict would be harmful to all.

Tajani told Anadolu Agency's editor that "there are many signals that lead me to believe that war may resume after the U.S. election" and added that such a development would be harmful to everyone. He emphasized that the top priority of the Istanbul meeting should be preventing the resumption of military hostilities in the Gulf.

The meeting is convened by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and brings together Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Germany, France, and Italy to discuss regional matters.

Tajani pointed to what he described as a positive step — the indirect contacts that took place in New York between Iran and the United States, alongside an exchange of negotiation proposals between the two sides. He stressed that diplomacy is the only path to achieving a sustainable solution, denying any desire to see a broader confrontation.

The Italian minister revealed that those gathered are working on drafting a closing statement that expresses the joint position of the countries that have worked toward achieving peace in Israel and Palestine, Iran, and the Gulf over recent months, noting that the ultimate objective includes Iran's nuclear program and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

On food security, Tajani reported that Rome formed an alliance with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to combat anything restricting the freedom of grain and agricultural fertilizer supply, given navigation difficulties in the Black Sea and Strait of Hormuz.