Turkey Says Iran Open to Secret Talks With U.S. Amid Escalating War
Hakan Fidan, the foreign minister of Turkey, says Iran is ready for secret and behind-the-scenes talks with the United States, despite the absence of any serious initiative to restart formal negotiations.
Speaking to Associated Press on Saturday, Fidan said the current environment is not suitable for open diplomacy. However, he added that Tehran may still be willing to pursue quiet diplomatic channels with Washington.
Turkey, which maintains relations with both Iran and the United States, had previously attempted to mediate between the two sides before the recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets.
Fidan said Iranian officials feel “betrayed,” arguing that Iran was attacked for a second time while it was engaged in negotiations with Washington over its nuclear program.
The conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel has intensified in recent days, raising fears of a broader regional war. Military strikes, missile launches and rising tensions around strategic locations in the Middle East have heightened security concerns.
The escalation has also raised fears among regional governments, including Turkey, that the conflict could expand further if diplomatic channels remain blocked.
Turkey has taken a relatively neutral stance in the conflict. While it has criticized the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, Ankara has also expressed concern over Iran’s retaliatory attacks against Gulf countries hosting U.S. military bases.
Fidan said Turkey has tried to persuade Iran to stop such attacks and emphasized that Ankara’s main priority is to stay out of the conflict. He also revealed that three missiles fired from Iran had landed toward Turkish territory, calling them attempts at provocation.
Speculation has also emerged that Turkey could become a future target of Israel, but Fidan dismissed the claim. However, he acknowledged that the war has strengthened Turkey’s determination to increase its weapons production and air-defense systems.
He also criticized Israeli leadership, saying that as long as Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power, Israel will continue identifying new enemies in the region to advance its political agenda.
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