Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged US President Donald Trump to prioritise diplomacy in ongoing talks with Iran. The call came as stalled negotiations and rising regional tensions risk deepening the conflict further. According to a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdogan stressed that making the most of diplomatic channels between Iran and the United States remains extremely important. He expressed hope that the talks would continue and confirmed that Turkey will keep supporting all genuine peace efforts in the region.
Turkey, which maintains NATO’s second-largest army and shares a border with Iran, has consistently called for an end to the fighting. Ankara has stayed in close contact with Washington, Tehran, and key mediators including Pakistan and Qatar. It has also worked as an intermediary between the different parties involved. The latest phone conversation between the two leaders covered not only the Iran situation but also bilateral relations, the war in Gaza, and a recent defence pact signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Erdogan described the defence agreement as a clear sign of a strong stance for regional stability and security.
The discussion took place against a backdrop of growing concern. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran may shift to a fully offensive military posture because efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war have stalled. Washington has ruled out extending a temporary ceasefire. Progress on restoring oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has also slowed. Turkey has criticised both the US and Israeli actions against Iran while condemning Iranian attacks on Gulf states and calling for the strategic waterway to reopen. On Monday, Turkey’s foreign minister spoke with his Iranian counterpart about the Strait and the need to keep the ceasefire in place.
Erdogan also raised the situation in Gaza with Trump. He noted that Israeli attacks on Palestinians have increased at a time when the second phase of Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan was supposed to take effect. The White House has not yet commented on the phone call. Turkey continues to position itself as a steady advocate for dialogue, urging all sides to choose negotiation over further escalation while regional security remains under pressure.
