Türkiye, Iran top diplomats discuss war's trajectory in phone call

2026-03-18 - 22:19

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi held a telephone conversation Wednesday to discuss the ongoing war between Iran and US-Israeli forces, Turkish diplomatic sources confirmed. The call underscores Ankara's active diplomatic engagement with both sides as the conflict continues to widen. Diplomatic channel maintained According to Foreign Ministry sources, the two ministers exchanged views on the course of the war, though no further details about the conversation were released. The contact represents Türkiye's continued effort to maintain communication channels with Tehran even as Ankara has publicly criticized the US-Israeli offensive and called for an immediate end to hostilities. Regional crisis deepens The discussion comes as the war, launched Feb. 28 with joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran, has now claimed approximately 1,300 lives including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and numerous senior political and military figures. Iran has responded with sustained drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting American military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation. Türkiye's balancing act Fidan's call with Araghchi follows his Tuesday conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his upcoming regional tour aimed at ending the war. Türkiye maintains relations with both Tehran and Moscow while hosting significant NATO assets on its territory, positioning Ankara as a potential mediator even as the conflict shows no signs of de-escalation. The contact with Iran's top diplomat allows Türkiye to hear Tehran's perspective directly as it pursues its diplomatic initiative.