ANKARA, NOV 9: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara opposed any renewed attacks on Iran and had conveyed its concerns to US President Donald Trump, as Washington and regional mediators continued efforts to negotiate an end to the eight-month conflict.
“We emphasize at every opportunity that it is possible to resolve these issues through dialogue and diplomacy. Unfortunately, we see a negative shift once again. We are doing our utmost to prevent this,” Erdogan told reporters aboard a flight returning from Azerbaijan, according to a transcript released by his office on Monday.
Erdogan said he had raised Turkey’s concerns about the prospect of further military action against Iran during a recent phone call with Trump.
Turkey, which shares a border with Iran, has maintained diplomatic and economic ties with Tehran despite differences over regional issues. Ankara has repeatedly advocated diplomacy to resolve disputes involving Iran, reflecting its interest in preventing further instability along its eastern border.
Erdogan’s comments came as Trump prepared to meet Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Monday for closed-door talks.
Qatar has played a central role in mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran, relaying proposals and seeking to narrow differences over Iran’s nuclear program and the conditions for ending the war.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that negotiations had made little progress and that a breakthrough did not appear imminent.
Speaking before departing Florida for a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Paris, Rubio said Trump favored a diplomatic solution but described some of Iran’s demands as “outrageous and ridiculous” and unrealistic.
Tehran has insisted that Washington lift its naval blockade and sanctions and halt hostilities before negotiations resume, conditions that have emerged as major obstacles to diplomatic progress.
Trump said Sunday that he was highly unlikely to authorize further strikes against Iran if negotiations advanced and produced a strong agreement.
However, he warned that Washington had identified additional infrastructure targets, including bridges, should military operations resume.
The conflict has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies, with the United States maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran restricting passage through the waterway.
