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Türkiye hopes the United States and Iran will reach a “genuine negotiation” without the need for military action or war, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday.
“Our wish is that there will be no need for a military operation or war, and that the parties genuinely reach a negotiation here,” Fidan told Turkish news agency Anadolu and public broadcaster TRT in Washington.
His remarks came after he attended the inaugural Board of Peace meeting, chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, which brought together representatives from more than 45 countries to discuss Gaza’s reconstruction and broader international stabilization efforts.
“As you know, this is an issue we follow closely. The process that started in Istanbul has led Americans and Iranians to begin speaking again. This is an extraordinarily important development,” Fidan said.
Following diplomatic efforts launched in Istanbul, the two sides met twice, once in Oman’s capital Muscat and once in Geneva, he noted.
Fidan said he also held talks in Washington with one of the parties to assess the direction of the negotiations.
“Essentially, there are many reasons to be hopeful,” he said. “We hope they reach a result, especially on the nuclear file.”
He said his recent contacts, including discussions involving Oman as mediator and direct exchanges with U.S. and Iranian officials, have been more constructive than in the past.
“My impression from the current talks, speaking with the Omani mediator, with the United States, and with Iran, is that the parties are giving unprecedentedly positive signals, particularly in advancing certain concrete issues,” he said.
At the same time, Fidan said Türkiye is closely monitoring increased U.S. military activity in the region.
“We observe that military mobility has also increased,” he said.
“Of course, we are closely monitoring whether this military activity is intended to put pressure on the ongoing negotiations or whether it is preparation for a pre-planned military operation.”
Despite encouraging diplomatic signals, Fidan stressed the talks remain at a sensitive stage.
“How this becomes practically implementable, when it will happen, how the parties perceive it, and how that perception guides their next steps, we are at a critical threshold right now,” he said. “It needs to be followed carefully.”
Meanwhile, Trump said Thursday that Iran has at most 15 days to reach a deal, beginning with concerns over its nuclear program, suggesting the United States would attack if no agreement is reached.
“We're either going to get a deal or it's going to be unfortunate for them,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Asked about the timeline, Trump said, “I would think that would be enough time, 10, 15 days, pretty much maximum.”
Earlier Thursday, Trump had suggested a 10-day deadline.
“It’s proven to be over the years not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran. We have to make a meaningful deal otherwise bad things happen,” Trump told the Board of Peace meeting in Washington.
He warned that the United States “may have to take it a step further” without an agreement, adding: “You're going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days.”
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner met indirectly in Geneva on Tuesday with Iran’s top diplomat, who said there had been progress.
The talks come a month after Iranian authorities killed thousands of people while suppressing mass protests described as one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to hold talks on Feb. 28 in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long pressed for tougher action against Tehran and ordered a bombing campaign last year.
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