Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel has become a “direct threat to global security,” urging a collective international response and warning that rising instability can no longer be seen as merely regional.
Speaking at Oxford University on global reordering on Friday, Fidan said the world is experiencing not merely a geopolitical transition but a deeper transformation.
"What we are witnessing today is not a transition, but it’s rather a transformation,” he said, arguing states can no longer "outsource their security, their diplomacy or their strategic imagination.”
Referring to the Iran war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes, Fidan said the conflict dealt "a heavy blow to global prosperity, security and stability.”
"Israel’s systemic threat to destabilize the region has exceeded local borders and now constitutes a direct threat to global security,” he said, adding that such actions "demand a collective response from the international community as a whole.”
Fidan also said "the distinction between regional and global crises has truly disappeared,” arguing that conflicts can no longer be treated as isolated.
He said such uncertainty has increased the relevance of middle powers, describing them as states with "strategic geography,” diplomatic reach and political will to produce outcomes.
Fidan pointed to Türkiye’s geographic position, institutional reach as a NATO member and EU candidate, and mediation efforts - from the Black Sea grain initiative to diplomacy in the Horn of Africa - as examples of Ankara’s role in crisis management.
He also called for global institutional reform and a regional order in the Middle East based on cooperation rather than "domination or submission,” advocating "regional solutions to regional problems by regional countries.”
In response to recent remarks by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Fidan said her statements were "unfortunate," adding that the issue has since been addressed through diplomatic channels.
"The President's remarks were unfortunate; we have necessary communications, so I think we have fixed it, corrected."
His comments came in response to a speech delivered by von der Leyen earlier this week in Hamburg, where she was marking the 80th anniversary of the newspaper Die Zeit.
Addressing the question of EU enlargement, she said: "We must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Türkiye, or China."
In a later statement, Fidan said he believes key sticking points in negotiations over nuclear issues could soon be overcome, as diplomatic talks are set to resume during the weekend in Islamabad.
"As talks on Iran war set to resume tomorrow, I believe that one or two issues-particularly those that had been deadlocked in the nuclear dossier-can be resolved," Fidan told journalists after his program at Oxford University.
Fidan said Türkiye was in almost daily contact with all parties involved in the negotiations and welcomed recent steps toward extending a fragile ceasefire.
"We welcomed the initial two-week ceasefire, but we also said at the time that it would not be enough to reach a final agreement," he said. "That ceasefire has now been extended."
"We are trying to contribute positively and provide encouragement to all sides," he added.
He noted that progress in the nuclear talks could also ease wider regional tensions, including those related to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Outlining two possible scenarios for the Gulf waterway, Fidan said the first involved a negotiated return to the previous status quo, ensuring free maritime passage without restrictions or additional costs.
"The second scenario is that if negotiations fail to produce results, the war continues, or other problems arise, the issue becomes how to address the problematic areas in the Strait of Hormuz. The concept of identifying problematic areas in the Strait of Hormuz is a different concept. There are aspects that align with our foreign policy and aspects that do not. Our President is clear on this matter," he continued.
"If Iran and the Americans reach an agreement and peace is achieved, a coalition could carry out technical work there, including mine clearance," he said.
He added that Türkiye would not oppose such humanitarian and technical operations in a post-conflict environment.
However, he cautioned that Ankara would take a different stance if any operation appeared to involve taking sides in a renewed conflict.
"Our sensitivities are clear," he said. "If there is a situation where we are seen as part of a conflict again, our position would be different."
Fidan said partners understood Türkiye's approach and reiterated that mine clearance remained the immediate priority, describing it as a humanitarian task benefiting all sides.
Iran-U.S. talks came after Pakistan brokered a two-week ceasefire on April 8, which was later extended by Trump without a specified timeline. The developments come amid ongoing tensions since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28, with efforts focused on reaching a broader agreement to end hostilities.
