Turkey Calls for Dialogue as Tensions Rise Between Iran and the United States
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has weighed in on the growing tensions between Iran and the United States,
warning that launching a military attack on Tehran would be a serious mistake.
Speaking in an interview, Fidan said restarting war in the region would be wrong and unnecessary,
stressing that Iran remains open to returning to negotiations over its nuclear program.
He advised Washington to approach discussions with Tehran in a structured and gradual manner.
Fidan explained that his consistent recommendation to US officials has been to deal with issues one at a time, beginning with the nuclear file.
Once that matter is resolved, he said, other concerns can be addressed separately.
He cautioned against bundling all disputes into a single negotiation package, warning that such an approach would make it
extremely difficult for Iranian leaders to accept or justify any agreement domestically.
In some cases, he noted, it could even be perceived as humiliating,
complicating Iran’s ability to explain decisions to both its public and leadership.
.“If issues are made more manageable and realistic,” Fidan said, “it will help move the process forward.”
When asked about claims by some analysts that a new regional order is emerging—one in which the United States increasingly cooperates with strong central
governments while sidelining non-state actors—Fidan addressed Iran’s potential role in such a reshaped landscape.
He said Iran could occupy a positive position in this new regional structure, not based on current tensions, but on its long-term capabilities and potential.
Recalling a visit to Iran two months ago, Fidan said he had spoken openly with Iranian officials about the need to build trust within the region.Iran, he emphasized,
must pay close attention to how neighboring countries perceive its actions. “No one is excluding Iran, and Iran should not exclude others,” he said.
Despite differences in ideology, political systems, or religious schools of thought, Fidan stressed that regional states
must find ways to cooperate within the framework of the nation-state system to- jointly manage and stabilize their shared region.
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