Says Türkiye is in almost daily contact with all parties involved in the negotiations
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. PHOTO: Anadolu Agency
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that he believed key sticking points in US negotiations with Iran over nuclear issues could soon be overcome, as diplomatic talks were set to resume during the weekend in Pakistan.
“As talks on the Iran war are set to resume tomorrow, I believe that one or two issues—particularly those that had been deadlocked in the nuclear dossier—can be resolved,” Fidan told journalists after a program at Oxford University.
On an official visit to the UK, Fidan said Türkiye was in almost daily contact with all parties involved in the negotiations and welcomed recent steps toward extending a fragile ceasefire.
“We welcomed the initial two-week ceasefire, but we also said at the time that it would not be enough to reach a final agreement,” he said. “That ceasefire has now been extended,” he added, referring to an extension US President Donald Trump announced earlier this week.
“We are trying to contribute positively and provide encouragement to all sides,” he added.
He said progress on nuclear issues could also ease wider regional tensions, including those related to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Germany and Turkiye have signalled conditional readiness to participate in potential mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, as discussions around maritime security gain traction amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Al Jazeera reported that German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the German navy was preparing for a possible deployment by sending a minesweeper to the Mediterranean, alongside a command and supply vessel, when speaking to German newspaper Rheinische Post. He did not specify a timeline for the move.
Pistorius outlined strict preconditions for any operational deployment, including a sustained ceasefire between the US and Iran, a clear legal framework under international law, and formal approval from the Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament, according to the DPA news agency. He emphasised that Germany traditionally played a leading role within NATO in mine clearance operations.
The development came as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO allies for not supporting US-Israel military actions targeting Iran.
With additional input from Al Jazeera.
