The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia held their third “Quad” meeting on Friday on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey to coordinate efforts toward ending the US-Iran war.
Türkiye 🤝 Pakistan 🤝 Qatar
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum https://t.co/mtRYMn2hB3 pic.twitter.com/51r7vxPQcS
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) April 17, 2026
Pakistan has been the primary mediator, hosting last weekend’s direct talks in Islamabad, while Egypt and Turkey have provided important behind-the-scenes support. Saudi Arabia’s inclusion is seen as crucial, given its influence with the Trump administration and its status as a major stakeholder in any final peace agreement.
According to sources, the Quad meetings aim to maintain close coordination among the three mediators and Riyadh, reducing the risk of Saudi Arabia acting as a spoiler. US officials have noted that Saudi positions on the war have shifted over time — publicly supporting diplomacy while privately urging stronger action in some instances. More recently, Riyadh has expressed concern about further damage to its oil and energy infrastructure and has told mediators it wants the conflict to end.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that talks with Iran would continue over the weekend. “If there are differences, I’m going to straighten it out… I don’t think there are too many significant differences,” he said. Sources familiar with the negotiations indicate that while gaps remain on key issues — particularly Iran’s nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz — meaningful progress has been made.
The meeting in Antalya reflects growing regional and international momentum to convert the fragile two-week ceasefire into a more permanent settlement before it expires next week.
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