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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday called for a return to diplomacy on Iran’s nuclear program, warning that the only viable path to de-escalation lies in reviving negotiations initiated under former U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Diplomacy is the only alternative to war,” Fidan wrote on X following a high-level security meeting he chaired, which included Türkiye’s defense minister, intelligence chief, and top military commander. The session came hours after Israel launched extensive airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, which continued into the day.
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Fidan warned that rising tensions must not be allowed to overshadow the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. “We must not allow the growing tension in our region to divert attention from the genocide taking place in Gaza,” he said.
Türkiye’s top diplomat said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been “closely” following the developments since the outbreak of the latest crisis and is receiving regular updates. He emphasized that all relevant Turkish institutions are “taking necessary measures in line with possible scenarios” that could affect the country.
Fidan also noted that Türkiye remains in close communication with key regional and international players, including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and the United States.
Meanwhile, a sixth round of indirect U.S.-Iran talks on a potential new nuclear agreement—mediated by Oman and originally scheduled for Sunday—now appears uncertain in the wake of the Israeli strikes.
Trump, whose administration originally launched the current negotiating framework after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, recently stated that Iran “should not be able to build a nuclear bomb” and hinted at a possible return to the negotiating table.
Fidan sharply criticized Israel, accusing it of regional destabilization. “Israel, which has caused human tragedy in Gaza, destabilized Lebanon, invaded Syria, and is now targeting Iran, must immediately abandon its strategy of destabilizing the region,” he said
Israel launched a massive attack early Friday, deploying around 200 aircraft to target Iran's nuclear program and long-range missile capabilities. The strikes killed senior Iranian military officials as well as nuclear scientists.
Iran has vowed "severe punishment" and called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to hold Israel accountable for its actions.
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