Munich Security Conference chief announces Middle East as top priority

• 'There will be many opportunities for bilateral and multilateral meetings,' he says, adding that Israelis and Palestinians, as well as top officials from key regional actors, are expected to attend

• Ischinger announces that Iran will not be invited this year, citing the regime's latest crackdown on anti-government protesters

BERLIN

Middle East and the implementation of Gaza peace plan will be among the top topics at Munich Security Conference next month, its chief Wolfgang Ischinger said on Tuesday.

"We expect significant high-level delegations from practically all the actors in the region," Ischinger told Anadolu, adding that Israelis and Palestinians, as well as top officials from Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye are expected at the conference next month.

“There will be many opportunities for bilateral and multilateral meetings in Munich for the senior leaders from the region. The Middle East will be one of the focal points of the Munich Security Conference in three weeks time,” the veteran diplomat said.

The three-day conference, one of the world's most prominent forums for international security, will be held February 13–15 in the southeastern German city of Munich. The annual gathering, now in its 62nd year, brings together world leaders, foreign and defense ministers to address pressing global challenges.

Ischinger said the participation of a high number of delegations from European countries and the Middle East will facilitate valuable exchanges at the top level. He noted that the EU's efforts to become a strong actor in international politics—yet its limited influence in resolving major crises—would be among the topics discussed at the conference.

“I share the view that Europe was essentially sidelined, was not able to play a meaningful, constructive role on the Middle East conflict,” he said, referring to lack of any significant initiative by the Europeans in the past couple of years.

“I hope that will change again going forward if and when the next steps in the implementation of the (US President Trump’s) Gaza plan can be started. I think this will be a very important subject matter for the Munich Security Conference,” he added.

According to the organizers, this year's conference will introduce several major changes to enhance the quality of discussions. The organizing committee has decided to refine the participant list, focusing on inviting key decision-makers and influential figures who can contribute meaningfully to the dialogue on global security challenges.

Ischinger said more than 20 heads of state, 24 prime ministers, over 60 foreign ministers, and 37 defense ministers have confirmed their participation so far. In addition, 44 heads of international organizations have also registered for this year's conference.

He noted that unlike previous years, Iran was not invited to the conference due to the regime's recent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

“The Iranian government will not be represented in Munich this year. We took a decision after the massacres in Iran,” Ischinger said regarding Iran's exclusion. "We believe that this is not a good moment to entertain discussions with their government. There may be future opportunities, but this is not a good moment.”