President Tayyip Erdogan told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Turkey is ready to act as a facilitator between Iran and the United States to help ease rising tensions, according to the Turkish presidency.
The offer comes amid sharp warnings from US President Donald Trump over Iran’s nuclear programme and a significant US military build-up in the Gulf, prompting strong responses from Iranian officials.
Tehran maintains its nuclear programme is peaceful and has warned it would respond forcefully to any aggression, as internal unrest adds pressure on the Iranian leadership.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has told his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, that Turkey is prepared to act as a facilitator between Iran and the United States to help ease escalating tensions, the Turkish presidency said on Friday.
In a phone call with Pezeshkian, Erdogan said Ankara was ready to play a mediating role to help reduce tensions and resolve outstanding issues between Tehran and Washington, according to a statement shared by the presidency on X. Erdogan is also expected to meet Iran’s foreign minister, who is visiting Turkey for talks with his Turkish counterpart.
The outreach comes amid heightened rhetoric and military posturing between Iran and the United States. US President Donald Trump has warned that “time is running out” for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, while announcing a significant US military build-up in the Gulf region.
Trump said a “massive armada” was moving rapidly toward Iran, describing the deployment as being carried out with “great power, enthusiasm, and purpose,” in reference to a large American naval presence.
Iran responded sharply to the warning. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces were on high alert and ready to respond “immediately and powerfully” to any aggression by land or sea.
Tehran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and has rejected accusations by the United States and its allies that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
Trump’s warning followed his comments that Washington would intervene to support those affected by a severe and unprecedented crackdown on protests in Iran earlier this month. The demonstrations initially erupted after a sharp fall in the value of Iran’s currency but quickly widened into a broader challenge to the legitimacy of the country’s clerical leadership.
