Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said there is currently no sign of an imminent war between the United States and Iran, stressing that Turkey is making efforts to prevent any escalation in the region.
Speaking in televised remarks on Monday evening during an interview on Turkey’s CNN channel, Fidan said “The regime does not change with an airstrike or anything else. It’s a pipe dream.”
“At least for now, there does not appear to be an imminent threat of war,” he added.
On the possibility of reaching an agreement between Washington and Tehran, Fidan said there is limited room for progress. “Let’s assume there is a possibility; the door has been opened slightly,” the FM added.
He explained that both sides are trying to buy time as part of their strategy, noting that talks require preparation and readiness for alternative scenarios. He said Iran has experience in this area, having previously faced attacks while negotiations were under way.
Fidan also revealed that the US side contacted the Turkish foreign minister during the latest attack and asked Turkey to pass a message to the Iranians that “anything could happen in the next few hours”.
He described the willingness of both sides to continue negotiations as a positive step, adding that focusing on the nuclear file is important as it remains the most critical issue.
Fidan stressed that the region cannot afford another war and said Turkey is using all its capabilities to prevent any possible escalation.
He added that “The problem is not the regime itself, the problem is the decisions and policies taken by the regime. There are also regimes that are more centrally authoritarian than the Iranian regime.”
