A Turkish diplomatic source said representatives from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates would attend.

The meeting comes amid limited signs of de-escalation nearly three weeks into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has disrupted the region and affected global energy supplies. The conflict has heightened concerns over broader instability across the Middle East.

Hakan Fidan is expected to stress the need for a negotiated and peaceful resolution, warning that a prolonged conflict could inflict lasting damage on ties between regional countries, the Turkish source said. He is also expected to visit additional countries following the Riyadh talks.

Turkey, a member of the NATO and a neighbour of Iran, had sought to mediate between Tehran and United States before the war began. Ankara has since condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as violations of international law, while also criticising Iranian attacks on Gulf states as unacceptable.

The Riyadh meeting is expected to focus on coordinated diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict and mitigate its economic and security repercussions across the region.

The conflict, now entering its third week, has shut down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes, sending oil prices higher and raising fears of renewed global inflation.

Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said the military had detailed operational plans covering at least the next three weeks, with additional scenarios prepared for a longer campaign.

“We want to make sure that they are as weak as possible, this regime, and that we degrade all their capabilities, all parts and all wings of their security establishment,” Shoshani told reporters.

The Israeli military has framed the campaign as focused on degrading Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure, nuclear facilities and broader security apparatus. Officials say thousands of potential targets remain inside Iran.

Iran launched drone attacks targeting regional sites, temporarily shutting down Dubai airport and striking a key oil facility in the United Arab Emirates, according to reports cited by regional authorities.

The incidents underscored the widening regional impact of the conflict, which has drawn concern from energy markets and governments reliant on Gulf shipping lanes.

Air traffic at Dubai airport was briefly halted following the drone threat before operations resumed.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the most significant economic consequences of the war.

The narrow waterway between Iran and Oman handles roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making it one of the most strategically important energy chokepoints in the world.

The disruption has already pushed oil prices upward and intensified concerns among policymakers about inflationary pressure on global economies.

U.S. President Donald Trump called on Sunday for an international coalition to help reopen the shipping route, warning that the NATO alliance could face a “very bad” future if members fail to support Washington’s efforts.

Allies responded cautiously, expressing support for diplomatic initiatives to restore navigation through the Strait while signaling reluctance to commit to military action.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had not requested a ceasefire and had exchanged no messages with Washington, according to Iran’s semi-official Student News Network.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that overnight Israeli strikes killed five people and wounded seven others in Markazi province in central Iran. The report said attacks struck a residential area on the outskirts of Arak city and a residential building in Mahallat county.

Israel has said its campaign remains focused on military and strategic infrastructure linked to Iran’s security apparatus.

Saudi Defense Ministry spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said the attacks began shortly after midnight, with 48 drones launched in roughly two hours.

In a series of posts on X starting at 2:22 a.m. local time, he said Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed all the drones before they reached their intended targets.The strikes form part of a broader pattern of nightly drone operations attributed to Iran, which Saudi officials say have intensified in recent weeks.

The drone barrage came hours after Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, shared a notice attributed to Iran’s military command asserting that the aircraft being used in attacks were not Iranian systems.

According to the statement cited by Enayati, “the enemy” was deploying drones disguised as Iranian-made Shahed drone under the name “Lucas drone,” an allegation that appeared aimed at deflecting responsibility for the strikes.

Saudi authorities did not comment on the claim.

Saudi defense officials said the latest attacks raised the number of drones intercepted in the kingdom to more than 230 since the campaign began.

Defense Ministry statements also show that more than 30 missiles have been shot down during the same period.Other Gulf states have reported similar increases in aerial threats.

Authorities in Bahrain said their air defenses had intercepted 125 missiles and 203 drones, with two people killed there and 24 others across the region.

The United Arab Emirates said its military had engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and approximately 1,600 drones during the conflict, reporting six fatalities.

Officials across the Gulf say the attacks have followed a recurring pattern of overnight drone launches followed by relative calm during daylight hours.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed that contacts with Iran were taking place but suggested negotiations had yet to reach a decisive stage. “Yes, we’re talking to them,” Trump said when asked whether diplomatic efforts were underway to end the conflict. “But I don’t think they’re ready

. But they are getting pretty close.”The war, which has rattled global markets and spread across parts of the Middle East, intensified after coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets on Feb. 28. The opening day of the campaign killed several senior Iranian officials, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Trump offered few details about the nature or level of the contacts, and suggested uncertainty about who currently represents Iran’s leadership after the initial strikes.“I’m not sure I want to make a deal, because first of all nobody even knows who you’re dealing with, because most of their leadership has been killed,” he said.

Iranian officials, however, rejected the notion that talks were underway.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was not engaged in negotiations with Washington and criticized the United States for pursuing diplomacy after launching military strikes.“We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people,” Araghchi said in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation” broadcast on Sunday.

“We don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us,” he added. “There is no good experience talking with Americans.”Trump nonetheless maintained that Iranian authorities were seeking an agreement to end hostilities.

“They want to make a deal badly,” he said, without elaborating on possible terms or channels for future negotiations.

The conflicting statements highlight uncertainty over whether diplomatic efforts could emerge alongside the continuing military confrontation that has expanded across the region since late February.

In a statement, the Palestinian Islamist movement said it supported Iran’s right to respond to what it described as aggression but appealed to Tehran to avoid military actions that could draw additional countries into the conflict.

“While affirming the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws, the movement calls on the brothers in Iran to avoid targeting neighboring countries,” Hamas said. The statement marked the group’s first public appeal of this nature directed at Tehran.

Hamas also called on the international community to work toward an immediate end to the war that has engulfed the region since late February.

The group previously condemned the killing of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, on the first day of the conflict, describing it as a “heinous crime” and crediting him with providing political, diplomatic and military backing to the Palestinian movement over many years.

Despite facing U.S. and Israeli military pressure, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes that have reached at least 10 countries since the start of the conflict, according to statements cited by Hamas.

Authorities in Qatar said two missiles were intercepted on Saturday after explosions were heard in the capital Doha, prompting evacuations in parts of the city.

Meanwhile, NATO forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran in the airspace of Turkiye on Friday, Turkish officials said.

The conflict has also intensified along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where the Iran-aligned group Hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets at Israel shortly after the war began. Lebanese authorities say nearly 800 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the escalation.

Iran has long been one of Hamas’s principal backers, with analysts estimating that Tehran provided the movement with tens of millions of dollars annually.

Under Khamenei, support for Palestinian groups formed a central element of Iran’s regional strategy against Israel and its allies. Several Sunni-majority states have also maintained ties with Hamas, including Qatar, which has funded humanitarian and reconstruction programs in Gaza, and Turkiye, which has provided political and diplomatic support under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political leadership in Doha, enabling the group to maintain international contacts and participate in mediation and negotiation efforts related to Gaza.

Wang called on both sides to remain calm, exercise restraint and hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible, while seeking an immediate ceasefire and addressing differences through consultation, according to the statement.

China’s remarks came as hostilities intensified between Pakistan and Afghanistan following an airstrike that hit a fuel depot belonging to private carrier Kam Air near Kandahar International Airport in southern Afghanistan on Friday, an attack that has deepened the neighbours’ most serious confrontation in years.

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang warned that any further use of force would complicate the situation and intensify tensions between the two countries.

Beijing has repeatedly positioned itself as a mediator in regional disputes and maintains diplomatic engagement with both Islamabad and Kabul. The ministry said China supports direct dialogue between the two sides as the primary avenue to de-escalate the crisis.

During the call, Wang and Muttaqi also exchanged views on the situation in Iran, the statement said.

Wang said China was willing to work with the international community, including Afghanistan, to contribute to peace in Iran, according to the ministry.

China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, approved the legislation on Thursday, aiming to foster a shared national identity among China’s 55 officially recognised ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs.

While the law does not explicitly mention Taiwan, Beijing considers the island part of its territory and regards its people as Chinese citizens.

Shen Yu-chung, deputy minister at Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, said language in the legislation could potentially extend to cross-strait issues.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei before the law was formally passed, Shen said provisions requiring citizens to protect China’s sovereignty and national unity could “spill over into becoming a legal basis for handling cross-Strait issues.

”When asked whether the law might be used to target individuals Beijing views as pro-independence activists, Shen said it was “highly possible,” adding that the definition of promoting unity remained vague while penalties could be more clearly defined.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has already introduced measures aimed at supporters of Taiwanese independence.In 2024, Chinese authorities issued guidelines to punish what they called “diehard” independence activists, with penalties that could include the death sentence, despite Chinese courts having no jurisdiction on the island.

The new legislation also contains a brief reference encouraging people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to identify as Chinese.

The law further cites remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping stating that citizens must “consciously uphold national unity, national security, and social stability.”

Taiwanese officials have long criticised what they describe as Chinese “lawfare,” referring to the use of legislation to create legal grounds for targeting individuals Beijing considers separatists, including those living overseas.

The new law includes provisions stating that individuals and organisations outside the borders of the People’s Republic of China can be held legally accountable for undermining ethnic unity or inciting separatism.

Shen said such language raised concerns about potential “long-arm jurisdiction,” referring to China’s efforts to apply its legal framework beyond its borders.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment.

Her remarks came as Seoul and Washington proceeded with their annual joint military exercises, which the two allies say are designed to strengthen defensive readiness against potential threats from North Korea.

Kim Yo Jong described the military exercises as provocative and warned they could undermine security in the region. Statements from North Korean officials have frequently portrayed joint U.S.-South Korean military activities as rehearsals for invasion.

The criticism reflects longstanding opposition from Pyongyang to the annual exercises, which typically involve large-scale troop deployments and coordinated operations between the two militaries.

Officials in South Korea and the United States maintain that the drills are defensive in nature and aimed at ensuring readiness and coordination between allied forces.

The exercises form a central component of the long-standing military alliance between the two countries, which maintains a substantial U.S. troop presence on the Korean Peninsula.

Analysts say North Korea’s leadership remains focused on maintaining strong deterrence capabilities amid shifting geopolitical tensions. One analyst said Pyongyang is determined not to face the same fate as Iran amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and its allies.

The comments come as regional tensions remain elevated amid global security concerns and ongoing military activity across several geopolitical flashpoints.

The ministry said the deployments were made “in the context of the latest developments in our region,” adding that additional measures could be taken depending on how the situation evolves.

European powers have stepped up military activity on the divided Mediterranean island since a drone struck Britain’s RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus last week. Security officials believe the drone was launched by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group.

The Turkish defence ministry said six F-16 jets along with air defence systems had been positioned in northern Cyprus, which Ankara recognises as an independent state.

“As a result of the evaluations to be made depending on the developments, additional measures will continue to be taken if necessary,” the ministry said in a statement.

The island of Cyprus has been divided for decades between the internationally recognised government in the south and the Turkish Cypriot administration in the north. Ankara does not recognise the Greek Cypriot government, which is a member of the European Union.

Nikos Christodoulides, the Greek Cypriot president, said the Turkish deployments were a response to recent European statements asserting that the island’s security falls under the responsibility of the European Union.Speaking to Greek newspaper Kathimerini, he described Turkey as an “occupying power” in Cyprus.

Tufan Erhurman, leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, criticised the remarks and said the focus should instead be on ensuring security for the entire island and both communities.

Omer Celik, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, said the deployment was not aimed at any country but intended to strengthen security and maintain the balance of power on the island.“But we must add this: other steps may come too, whether it is air defence systems, drone centres,”

The latest move follows a regional security incident last week when NATO defences intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran that entered Turkish airspace. Ankara warned Tehran on Saturday against launching further missiles toward its territory.

The statement did not specify where the incident occurred or what operations the officers were involved in at the time. Officials also did not disclose their identities or whether other personnel were injured.The announcement comes as Kuwait and other Gulf states remain on heightened alert following a series of drone and missile launches from Iran after recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic. Several countries in the region have reported intercepting aerial threats amid escalating security concerns.

The Kuwait Fire Force said only that the two officers were killed “while performing duties,” offering no further explanation. Authorities have not indicated whether the deaths were connected to fire response operations, civil defense activities, or emergency support related to the ongoing regional security situation.The fire service in Kuwait functions as the primary authority responsible for firefighting, rescue operations, and emergency response across the country.

Gulf countries, including Kuwait, have taken precautionary measures in response to the deteriorating security environment following the recent attacks on Iran. Governments across the region have stepped up air defense monitoring and emergency preparedness in case of spillover from the broader confrontation.While Kuwait has not publicly reported damage from incoming projectiles, officials have acknowledged the interception of drones and missiles launched from Iran in recent days.The deaths of the two officers were announced as authorities continued monitoring developments across the Gulf, where heightened tensions have prompted increased vigilance among civil defense and emergency services.