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Turkey seeks to stay out of the escalating war in the Middle East while trying to keep channels of communication open between the parties involved, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an exclusive interview with the international news agency Associated Press.
The head of Turkish diplomacy said that Ankara is in contact with the United States, Europe and countries in the region, while assessing that Iran remains open to diplomatic contacts behind the scenes despite tensions.
"Since the beginning of the war, we have spoken openly with everyone. But this time the conditions are different, because the countries with which we cooperate the most in the region are now under fire, under attack. This puts them in a different position. Especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are under attack. The way the war started and the way it escalated is wrong and a big mistake on all sides. That is why we are talking to the Europeans, the Americans and some countries in the region," Fidan said.
He stressed that there is currently no serious initiative to restart negotiations between the US and Iran, but he believes that Tehran is open to parallel talks.
"The conditions are not very favorable for diplomacy at the moment," Fidan said, adding that he is trying to convince the Iranians to stop these attacks.
Iran feels betrayed
The Turkish Foreign Minister noted that he is in regular communication with his Iranian counterpart and that Tehran believes it was attacked while in negotiations.
"I think I speak to my Iranian counterpart every two or three days. My sense is that they feel betrayed, because they were attacked for the second time while they were in talks. For that reason, I think there is no reason for them to refer publicly to the discussions. My assessment is that they are open to any reasonable diplomacy behind the scenes. At least they should be. I think some messages can be exchanged between the parties. But first of all we need to understand the clear definition of US military objectives. President Trump defines these objectives from time to time. There has to be a plan for the end result," he said.
Fidan stressed that Turkey, despite its military capabilities, does not want to be involved in the conflict.
"As our president has made very clear, Turkey is a country with great capabilities, but in this case we do not want to get involved in war. We should not be provoked and we should not be drawn into conflict. Our stance at the moment is defensive. NATO systems are very effective in neutralizing missiles. Our main goal is not to get involved in this war," he said.
Turkey will not respond to Iran
Iranian officials have insisted they did not fire missiles towards Turkey, although evidence suggests they originated in Iran, the Turkish foreign minister said.
He ruled out a military response at this stage, stressing that NATO's defensive systems have been effective and that Ankara's "main goal" is to stay out of the conflict.
"I know they are provoking us and will continue to do so, but our goal is clear. We want to stay out of this war ," he stressed.
Incirlik base in use by NATO and the US
As Fidan acknowledged, Turkey is a NATO member and an air base in the south of the country is used by alliance forces, including US troops.
Proposal for regional diplomacy
The Turkish Foreign Minister reiterated Ankara's proposal for dialogue between the countries of the region and Iran, beyond the nuclear issue.
"The Americans and the Iranians can fully discuss the nuclear issue, while we as countries in the region can come together and discuss with Iran two other issues. Beyond the nuclear issue between Iran and the US, there are also issues of trust that continue to affect the region," he said.
Criticism of Israel
Fidan harshly criticized Israel's policy, accusing the Israeli leadership of seeking to escalate the conflict.
"If you look at the Israelis, they are looking for the worst possible scenario, because they are not paying the price. The region is paying the price, the Americans are paying it, and the Europeans are paying it. The Israelis have always been in a very favorable position. They want to see Iran, as a country and as a nation, disappear, and they say that openly. But the rest of the international community can work together to address the existing problems, including Israel's security in the region. Because Netanyahu cannot bring security to the Israelis, only war," he said.
Uncertainty over the condition of Iran's supreme leader
Asked about the health condition of Iran's supreme leader, Fidan said information is limited.
"This is a question we don't know the exact answer to. What we do know is that he is alive and functioning normally. I think he was partially injured as a result of the attack, but he is still performing his duties," he said.
The Role of the Revolutionary Guard
The Turkish Foreign Minister assessed that the Revolutionary Guard has taken on a greater role in managing the war in Iran due to developments in the country's leadership.
"I think the process of choosing a new leader and his health condition created a vacuum. I believe this vacuum has been filled by the high command of the Revolutionary Guard. They are now leading the war and leading the operations. Structurally, as they have stated, they have autonomous command and control centers as well as various military units," Fidan said.
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