Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urges continued US-Iran diplomacy as stalled negotiations and rising tensions threaten wider regional escalation.
WEB DESK: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged US President Donald Trump to keep diplomatic channels with Iran open, as stalled negotiations and rising tensions threaten to deepen the conflict in the Middle East.
The Turkish presidency said Erdogan made the appeal during a phone conversation with Trump, stressing the importance of making full use of diplomacy to address tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Erdogan calls for continued US-Iran talks
According to the Turkish presidency, Erdogan said Ankara hoped negotiations between the United States and Iran would continue and reaffirmed Turkey’s support for peace efforts.
Turkey, which shares a border with Iran and has NATO’s second-largest military, has maintained contact with the United States, Iran and regional mediators including Pakistan and Qatar.
The latest appeal comes as efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the conflict have stalled. A senior Iranian official has warned that Tehran could adopt a more offensive military posture, while Washington has ruled out extending a temporary ceasefire agreement.
Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern
Diplomatic efforts to restore normal oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz have also made little progress.
Turkey has criticised US and Israeli military actions against Iran while also condemning Iranian attacks on Gulf states. Ankara has called for the strategic waterway to be reopened.
Turkey’s foreign minister also discussed the reopening of the strait and continuation of the ceasefire with his Iranian counterpart on Monday.
Erdogan and Trump discuss regional security
The Turkish and US presidents also discussed bilateral relations, the war in Gaza and the recently signed defence pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
According to the Turkish presidency, Erdogan praised the agreement as reflecting a strong position in support of regional stability and security.
Erdogan also raised concerns over increased Israeli attacks on Palestinians at a time when the second phase of Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan was expected to begin.
The White House had not immediately issued a comment on the phone call, according to Reuters.
