Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, has urged the United States to reopen nuclear negotiations with Iran, warning against military confrontation as US naval forces move into the Middle East amid escalating tensions over Tehran’s violent crackdown on protests.
Speaking in an interview broadcast on Wednesday by Qatar-based Al Jazeera, Fidan said renewed diplomacy was the only viable path forward, describing any military strike against Iran as both dangerous and counterproductive.
“It’s wrong to attack Iran. It’s wrong to start the war again,” Fidan said. “Iran is ready to negotiate on the nuclear file again.”
His remarks came shortly after the United States confirmed that a naval strike force led by an aircraft carrier had taken up position in Middle Eastern waters, although US Central Command declined to disclose its exact location.
Washington has not ruled out military action following Iran’s harsh response to nationwide protests earlier this month. Rights groups allege that thousands were killed within days as Iranian authorities imposed a sweeping internet blackout and intensified security operations.
Fidan advised US officials to pursue a phased diplomatic approach, beginning with nuclear negotiations rather than confronting Tehran on multiple fronts simultaneously.
“My advice has always been to our American friends: close the files one by one with the Iranians,” he said. “Start with the nuclear issue and close it. Then move on to the others.”
According to the Turkish minister, bundling Iran’s various disputes into a single negotiation framework risks failure and could deepen mistrust.
“If you put everything together as one package, it will be very difficult for our Iranian friends to digest,” he said, warning that such an approach could even appear humiliating to Iranian leaders and the public.
Turkey, a NATO member that shares a 530-kilometre border with Iran, has consistently opposed military action against the Islamic Republic. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last week described Iran’s internal unrest as a “new test” and pledged that Ankara would resist any move capable of plunging the region into chaos.
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He expressed hope that diplomacy and dialogue would help Iran navigate what he called a “trap-filled period.”
Fidan also stressed the need for Iran to rebuild regional confidence, recalling candid discussions during a visit to Tehran two months ago.
“They need to build trust in the region,” he said. “They need to pay attention to how they are perceived by regional countries.”
As tensions rise and global powers weigh their next steps, Turkey’s call underscores growing regional concern that confrontation could destabilize the Middle East further, at a time when diplomatic alternatives remain on the table.