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Erdogan Urges Trump to Pursue Talks With Iran and Offers Turkish Mediation

Ankara is pressing to head off military escalation that could disrupt oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Overview

  • Turkey’s presidency said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told President Donald Trump that diplomacy with Iran must continue and that Ankara stands ready to support peace efforts.
  • The phone call follows stalled negotiations over a permanent settlement and a senior Iranian official’s warning that Iran could adopt a “fully offensive” military posture if talks fail.
  • Talks to resume tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz have made no progress, leaving a fragile ceasefire in place and posing a risk to global oil shipments.
  • Turkey has kept contact with the United States, Iran and mediators such as Qatar, Oman and Pakistan and has offered to act as an intermediary to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait.
  • Erdogan and Trump also discussed bilateral ties, the war in Gaza and a TurkeySaudi ArabiaPakistan defence pact, and Ankara’s geographic position and large army give its mediation efforts strategic weight.