S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is actively working to position Turkey as a neutral mediator while striving to keep his country out of the conflict. /Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran's retaliatory actions against Gulf states.
This diplomatic balancing act comes as Turkey navigates a disputed incident involving missiles intercepted over its territory. Fidan has regular contact with Iranian officials, leveraging these connections to pursue de-escalation. He is attempting to persuade Iran to halt attacks on Gulf states, though the exact nature and timeline of Turkey's mediation attempts before the war remain unclear.
-Iran negotiations currently. He explained that conditions are not conducive to diplomacy now because Iran feels betrayed after being attacked twice during nuclear negotiations. However, he noted that Iran is open to back-channel talks, though what specific back-channel talks Iran is open to and with whom is not detailed.
S. S. and Israel attacked Iran, highlighting Ankara's proactive role despite the challenging environment.
The leadership transition in Iran has added complexity to these efforts. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei replaced his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28. Fidan does not know the severity of wounds to Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei from an earlier strike, only that he is alive and functioning, leaving the full extent of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's injuries and medical condition unknown.
According to Fidan, the leadership transition and medical conditions created a power gap in Iran that has been filled by the Revolutionary Guards' high command, though how the Revolutionary Guards' high command has filled the power gap in Iran and its implications are not fully specified. A key point of tension between Turkey and Iran involves missile incidents. Turkish data shows the missiles came from Iran, Fidan asserted, referring to three missiles intercepted over Turkey by NATO defenses.
However, Iranian officials deny firing missiles at Turkey, creating a direct contradiction. This discrepancy is ongoing, with Turkish and NATO radar data indicating launches from Iran, while Iranian officials maintain no intention to target Turkey. Despite this, Turkey rules out military response, citing effective NATO defenses, and Fidan reiterated that Turkey's priority is to remain outside the conflict, even after three missiles from Iran were intercepted over Turkey by NATO defenses.
Fidan's efforts underscore Turkey's dual focus: managing bilateral relations while mediating in the Middle East to prevent further escalation. His statements reflect a cautious approach, emphasizing neutrality and diplomacy over military action, even as technical data points to Iranian involvement in missile launches. The situation remains fluid, with Turkey's mediation role tested by Iran's internal dynamics and the broader geopolitical stakes.