As a neighbor and a NATO ally are engaged in a war of words, Türkiye works to prevent a real one. Drawing from its experience as a peacemaker in several conflicts, the country, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, reportedly stepped in to mediate the crisis between Iran and the United States.
“Türkiye’s key advantage lies in its ability to communicate with the parties swiftly and in a results-oriented manner as Türkiye generally maintains a more balanced position and engages with the parties on a principled basis, it currently stands out as the most suitable candidate for mediation. At present, Türkiye enjoys good relations both with the Donald Trump administration and with Iran, a country with which we have been neighbors for centuries,” Mustafa Caner, editor-in-chief of Kriter Magazine and a researcher at Turkish think-tank, the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), told Daily Sabah.
Recently, the U.S.-based outlet Axios reported that the administration of Donald Trump is open to engaging Iran through multiple diplomatic channels in pursuit of a possible agreement. The outreach comes after Trump ordered a major U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, amid claims that Türkiye has emerged as a potential hub for negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
While pointing out the necessity of this mediation role to safeguard Turkish national interests, “Türkiye would also be seriously harmed by a potential Iran-U.S. conflict and is compelled to undertake this mediation role. I understand that the parties themselves view Türkiye positively in the role of mediator,” Caner asserted.
“Türkiye, of course, has a very rich record and long-standing experience in mediation. Most notably during the Russia-Ukraine war, but also in conflicts that have emerged among Middle Eastern countries, as well as between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Caner noted, reiterating Türkiye’s latest mediation efforts.
In addition to Axios’ claims, diplomatic sources said that Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East, and Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet in Istanbul on Friday to discuss the framework of a possible nuclear deal.
The planned talks are said to be the result of intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days by Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar, as regional actors seek to ease tensions and revive dialogue between the United States and Iran.
Moreover, he also argued that at present, both military confrontation and diplomacy remain possible, with no clear indication of which path will prevail. While the risk of a serious clash cannot be ruled out, recent statements from the parties have struck a more positive tone, signaling continued openness to negotiations and a potential agreement.
On the other hand, according to Mehmet Rakipoğlu, a lecturer at Mardin Artuklu University, and director of Turkish Studies at Mokha Center, after the Oct. 7 Al-Aqsa Flood attack, Israel actively sought to draw the U.S into a military confrontation with Iran.
“Taking into account both the current tensions and the previous strike, it appears that the push for a U.S. attack on Iran has been driven largely by Israel. Trump may also be playing a double game in this process. The primary factor is Israel, which has long wanted the United States to strike Iran,” Rakipoğlu said.
Last week, foreign minister Hakan Fidan also cautioned Washington against being drawn into Israeli pressure to launch an attack on Iran, saying it would inflict serious damage on an already fragile region. “We hope the U.S. administration will act with common sense and not allow this to happen," he said during a joint press conference in Istanbul with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
While drawing attention to the U.S. reluctance to strike Iran, Rakipoğlu emphasized that, finding little support from Europe on the Venezuela and Greenland matters, Washington appears wary that a comparable move against Iran would again fail to secure European backing.
“Türkiye appears to have played an active role in this phase. Rather than directly preventing a U.S. attack, Ankara may have laid out the conditions under which the region would slide into instability, and on that basis encouraged the U.S to pursue a different course,” he concluded.
Over the past years, Türkiye’s rising profile in diplomacy under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reaped results in peacemaking efforts.
In the Karabakh conflict, a major issue for friendly Azerbaijan, Erdoğan voiced Türkiye’s support in Baku’s fight against the Armenian occupation. The president’s military and political support ended in the resolution of the issue in 44 days, with Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Karabakh War that began on Sept. 27, 2020. It effectively ended 26 years of illegal Armenian occupation and helped Azerbaijan to liberate its lands.
Turkish support for the elected legitimate government helped Libya end the political turmoil that began in the post-Gaddafi era. Libya moved from a process where armed militia backed by international actors attempted to force their way into the capital, Tripoli, for a coup and heightening conflict to a change of balance in power, thanks to Türkiye’s support.
Winds of peace prevailed in Africa, which had long been subject to the West’s imperialist designs, following Erdoğan’s mediation efforts. In 2024, the president also stepped in to resolve the crisis between Somalia and Ethiopia.
