ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that while direct negotiations between the United States and Iran remain stalled, Tehran appears open to resuming back-channel communications, even as the conflict initiated by the U.S. And Israel two weeks ago continues to escalate. Fidan’s assessment came during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, as Ankara seeks to navigate a path that avoids direct involvement in the widening regional war.
Fidan, who previously served as Turkey’s intelligence chief for over a decade before becoming foreign minister in 2023, emphasized the current climate is not conducive to formal diplomacy. “The conditions are not very much conducive” to negotiations, he stated, adding that Iranian officials “perceive betrayed” by the recent strikes occurring while nuclear program discussions were ongoing. Despite this, he believes “I think they are open to any sensible back-channel diplomacy.”
Turkey has maintained a neutral stance throughout the conflict, criticizing both the U.S. And Israeli military actions against Iran, as well as Tehran’s retaliatory strikes targeting Gulf states hosting U.S. Bases. Fidan revealed he is actively attempting to persuade Iranian officials to cease those retaliatory attacks. This position reflects Turkey’s strategic concerns, as it shares a 530km border with Iran and imports natural gas from the country, both nations having a shared interest in regional stability.
Recent events have tested Turkey’s neutrality. Three missiles, believed to have originated from Iran, were intercepted over Turkish territory by NATO defense systems. While Iranian officials have denied targeting Turkey, Fidan stated available data indicates the missiles did indeed come from Iran. Despite this provocation, he ruled out a military response, asserting that NATO’s defenses proved effective and that Ankara’s “primary objective” is to remain outside the conflict. “I know that we are being provoked and we will be provoked, but this is our objective,” he said. “We want to stay out of this war.”
Fidan acknowledged uncertainty surrounding the condition of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, following a strike earlier in the conflict. He stated, “what we know is that he is alive and functioning.” Khamenei assumed the position after the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on February 28th. Fidan noted the transition in leadership has created a power vacuum within Iran, which he believes has been filled by the high command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, Turkey attempted to mediate a peaceful resolution by proposing talks in Istanbul involving the U.S., Iran, and other regional actors. However, Iran opted for negotiations mediated by Oman, focusing solely on its nuclear program – talks that ultimately failed to yield a breakthrough. Fidan explained that Iran refused to discuss its missile program or its support for proxy groups, including Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, all of which have turn into active participants in the current conflict.
Turkey had proposed a framework where the U.S. And Iran could address the nuclear issue directly, while regional countries would engage Iran on the topics of its missile program and support for proxy groups, aiming to build regional trust.
Relations between Turkey and Israel are currently strained, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan being a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Turkey has severed trade ties with Israel and frequently accuses Israel of genocide, while Israel accuses Turkey of supporting Hamas. Fidan dismissed the possibility of Turkey becoming a direct target of Israeli military action, but acknowledged the conflict in Iran has increased the incentive for Turkey to bolster its own weapons production and air defenses. He suggested that Israel consistently seeks to identify external adversaries, and if not Turkey, another regional nation would likely be designated as such.
Fidan also criticized Israel’s actions in Syria, where both countries have strategic interests. He accused Israel of seeking territorial expansion rather than security, predicting that this pursuit will perpetuate conflict in the Middle East. Turkey supports the current government in Damascus led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former Islamist rebel leader, a position viewed with suspicion by Israel, which has seized control of territory in southern Syria and conducted airstrikes on Syrian military facilities.
Turkey is also seeking to play a role in postwar Gaza, having joined U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace – a move criticized by some as an attempt to circumvent the United Nations. Turkey has offered to contribute troops to an international stabilization force in Gaza, but has not yet received a request to do so, which Fidan attributes to Israeli opposition. He indicated the U.S. Is “quietly trying to settle the issue with the Israelis to allow Turkey to participate.” Turkey’s priority, he stated, is the establishment of an administration committee for Gaza, comprised of 15 politically independent Palestinian administrators, but this process has yet to commence.
