Fidan says he believes Iran open to back-channel diplomacy despite US-Israeli war

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that negotiations between the US and Iran are currently stalled, but he believes Tehran remains open to informal diplomatic channels.

Fidan stated that the conditions surrounding the regional conflict make formal diplomacy challenging.

"The conditions are not very much conducive" to diplomacy at the moment, Fidan told The Associated Press on Saturday, adding that the Iranians "feel betrayed" after being attacked while engaged in nuclear negotiations with Washington.

"I think they are open to any sensible back-channel diplomacy," he said.

Fidan said Türkiye’s priority is to remain outside the conflict despite rising tensions across the region.

"I know that we are being provoked and we will be provoked, but this is our objective," he said. "We want to stay out of this war."

Netanyahu-led Israel 'needs an enemy' to advance its agenda

Fidan also criticised Israeli policies in the region, arguing that Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, consistently frames regional actors as adversaries.

"As long as Netanyahu is there, (Israel) will always identify somebody as an enemy," he said.

"Because they need it to advance their own agenda. If not Türkiye, they would name some other country in the region."

He accused Israel of pursuing territorial ambitions rather than security goals.

"They are after not security, they are after more land," said Fidan. "So as long as they don't give up this idea, there will always be a war in the Middle East."