Türkiye spares no effort to reduce US-Iran tensions, Erdoğan says

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Ankara is making every effort to reduce tensions between the United States and Iran, aiming to prevent a new conflict in the region.

According to Erdoğan, Türkiye is firmly opposed to military intervention in Iran and has communicated its position to international partners, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

“At the moment, both sides are trying to open a door to diplomacy. The solution lies not in confrontation, but in finding points of contact and negotiating. This process is active and has not been interrupted. The basis for dialogue and diplomacy remains open,” Erdoğan emphasised.

The president noted that negotiations at the level of US and Iranian leaders would be particularly useful. He made the statement upon returning from Egypt.

For the record, tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated sharply in early 2026, driven by U.S. pressure over Tehran’s nuclear programme, domestic unrest in Iran and fears of military confrontation. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly said a large American naval “armada” is being sent toward Iran, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying warships and destroyers, as a show of force amid growing friction over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and its suppression of domestic protests.

Trump has warned Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme, and U.S. military assets — including Patriot and THAAD air defence systems — have been moved into the Persian Gulf to deter escalation. Reports also suggest Washington is considering a range of military options, from covert special forces raids on Iranian nuclear sites to more direct strikes on leadership and strategic targets, though no final decision has been made.

By Khagan Isayev