BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said reopening the Strait of Hormuz is a priority, stressing that the continued disruption of the strategic waterway is not in the interests of any country.
In an exclusive interview, due to air on Sunday, Erdogan said the prolonged closure of the strait was creating broader risks for regional stability, international shipping and energy supplies. The waterway remains a central point of tension between Iran and the United States.
Erdogan also said he and US President Donald Trump had discussed the need to end Israel’s war on Lebanon during Trump’s recent visit, stressing that Washington has an important role to play in achieving an end to the conflict.
The Turkish president further addressed the recently signed defence agreement between Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, saying that the framework could eventually be expanded to include additional countries.
Erdogan specifically mentioned Egypt as a possible future participant. Recent reports confirm that the trilateral agreement is open to additional members and that Egypt has been identified as a potential future participant.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan was signed amid heightened regional tensions. The agreement establishes a collective defence framework under which an armed attack against one of the participating countries would be treated as an attack against all three.
Erdogan’s comments come as efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remain at the centre of regional diplomacy. Iran has been negotiating with Oman over arrangements for safe passage through the waterway, while Tehran has linked a full reopening to broader demands involving the US military presence and the conflict.
The Turkish position highlights Ankara’s interest in preventing the Hormuz crisis from causing further disruption to regional trade and global energy markets.
