Turkey Pushes US Toward Nuclear Talks With Iran
Istanbul: Türkiye’s top diplomat urged Washington to begin nuclear talks with Iran in an interview published on Wednesday, as US warships arrived in the region ahead of a possible attack on Tehran’s protest crackdown.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in English to Qatar-based Al Jazeera television: “It is wrong to attack Iran. It is wrong to restart the war. Iran is ready to renegotiate on the nuclear file.” he said.
“My advice has always been to our American friends: Close the files with the Iranians one by one. Start with the nuclear issue and close it. Then move on to the others,” he said.
U.S. Central Command said Monday that Fidan made the comments after an aircraft carrier-led U.S. naval strike force took up position in Middle Eastern waters, without revealing his exact location.
Washington has not ruled out a new military intervention in Tehran due to its harsh response to protests, in which thousands of people have been killed in just a few days, according to human rights groups.
Since Iran began cracking down earlier this month, accompanied by a nationwide internet blackout, U.S. President Donald Trump has given mixed signals about intervention.
NATO member Türkiye, which shares a 530-kilometer (330-mile) border with Iran, has frequently voiced its opposition to military operations targeting the Islamic Republic.
Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the unrest in Iran as a “new test” for Tehran and pledged that Türkiye would “stand against any attempt” that would plunge the region into chaos.
He said he hoped diplomacy and dialogue would help Iran get through this “trap-filled period.”
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Fidan said that the problems with Iran should be addressed one by one.
“Do not see these as a package. If you combine everything into a package, it will be very difficult for our Iranian friends to digest and truly process it,” he said.
“In some cases, this may even seem degrading to them. It can be difficult to explain this not only to themselves, but also to their leaders.”
Fidan also called on Iran to build trust in the region.
“When I was in Iran two months ago, I was very frank with my Iranian friends. They need to build trust in the region,” he said.
“They need to be careful about how they are perceived by regional countries.”
