Türkiye warns against military solutions in Strait of Hormuz tensions, calls for peace approach

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday warned that military approaches to securing key global sea lanes would be highly complex and urged diplomacy to ensure uninterrupted maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy chokepoint.

Hakan Fidan spoke at the Editor’s Desk program hosted by Anadolu in Ankara, where he outlined Türkiye’s positions on several regional flashpoints.

Fidan emphasized the importance of keeping international shipping routes open amid rising tensions in the Gulf. “What the entire world wants is that international transit remain free and not be obstructed,” he said.

He warned that stability in the waterway cannot be achieved through forceful measures. “Our position is to reopen it through peace. There are many difficulties in intervening here with an international armed peace force,” he said.

Fidan also said Washington and Tehran appear aligned on the need to reduce tensions. “Both sides (US, Iran) are sincere about a ceasefire and aware of the need,” he said.

He further commented on Israel’s regional posture, saying: “We see that Israel may seek to designate Türkiye as a new adversary after Iran, as it cannot sustain itself without an enemy.”

Turning to Syria, Fidan described the situation as a major security concern for Turkiye. “We see a major problem area in Syria. This is a big risk for us,” he said, referring to Israel’s attacks.

He added that Israel’s current focus on its confrontation with Iran could delay but not rule out its future moves in Syria. “Because of the war underway in Iran, it is not doing certain things (against Syria), but that does not mean it will not. When the time comes, it will want to do it,” he said.

Fidan also criticized regional cooperation formats involving Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration, and Israel, arguing they heighten tensions rather than ease them. “Their cooperation does not bring more trust, it brings more mistrust. It brings more problems and war,” he said.

Fidan also called for a wider regional security framework based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity across the Middle East.