Turkey says Iran feels ‘betrayed’ by US attacks during nuclear talks
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says Tehran still ‘open to any sensible backchannel diplomacy’, vows to keep Ankara out of the war
Turkey’s powerful foreign minister said on Saturday that there is no serious initiative to resume negotiations between the United States and Iran but that he believes Iran is open to backchannel talks.
The comments by Hakan Fidan came as Ankara is striving to stay out of the widening war in the Middle East.
Ankara, which has good relations with both Washington and Tehran, had attempted to mediate a solution between them before the US and Israel attacked Iran two weeks ago, triggering the war.
“The conditions are not very much conducive” to diplomacy now, Fidan said. The Iranians “feel betrayed” because for a second time they were attacked while in active negotiations with the US over their nuclear programme, he said, but added, “I think they are open to any sensible backchannel diplomacy.”
Fidan, 57, served as Turkey’s intelligence chief for more than a decade before being appointed foreign minister in 2023.
In that role, he played a major part in shaping Turkey’s policy in the Middle East, particularly towards Syria, Iraq and Iran. He is considered to be one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most trusted advisers and one of the potential candidates to succeed him.