Turkish diplomatic sources said on Wednesday that Minister Hakan Fidan had a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. It was the latest instance of Fidan's intense phone diplomacy amid the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Sources said Fidan discussed the war and efforts to end the conflict.
The ministers "emphasized the need for an immediate end to the war", sources said, adding they stressed as "critically important" maintaining the uninterrupted operation of transport lines, as well as energy and supply chains.
The calls focused on the latest situation regarding "war in the region,” sources said, referring to the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, adding that ministers discussed efforts to stop the attacks.
Fidan spearheads Türkiye’s efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region as Ankara reportedly pursues the role of the mediator in the conflict. Türkiye maintains close ties with both Iran and the United States and has also stepped up cooperation with the Gulf countries in recent years. The country criticized attacks by both the U.S. and Israel and Iran’s strikes in the Gulf countries. However, it did not openly take sides.