Turkey steps in, urging calm as US-Iran talks
For now, both Washington and Tehran remain silent, leaving uncertainty over whether either side is ready to talk.
Turkey has stepped quietly into the spotlight, trying to pull Washington and Tehran back from the brink as tensions in the Middle East continue to simmer.
According to Turkish officials, Ankara is attempting to broker direct talks between the United States and Iran in the hope of reducing the risk of American military action against the Islamic Republic. Neither Washington nor Tehran has publicly confirmed any plans to negotiate, but behind the scenes, diplomatic feelers appear to be moving.
Two Turkish officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said Turkey is working to arrange a meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Iranian leaders. One official said such a meeting could happen as early as the end of the week, though details remain fluid.
The diplomatic push comes as the United States continues to reinforce its military presence in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and several guided-missile destroyers have been deployed to the Middle East, underscoring the seriousness of Washington’s posture. Yet it remains unclear whether President Donald Trump would ultimately authorize military action against Iran, something he has repeatedly suggested is possible amid Tehran’s violent crackdown on protests and the ongoing standoff over its nuclear program.
Pressed on what might trigger military action, he declined to provide specifics.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth struck a more restrained note when asked whether “regime change” in Iran was on the table.
An Arab diplomat, also speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the discussions, said there had been conversations about Turkey hosting a broader, high-level meeting involving Arab and Muslim countries alongside the United States and Iran — an effort aimed at de-escalation rather than confrontation.
Turkey’s mediation effort builds on earlier US-Iran contacts. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Witkoff met several times last year in Rome and Oman to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, but those talks failed to produce a final agreement. Diplomatic momentum collapsed entirely after Israel launched strikes on Iran on June 13, triggering a 12-day conflict between the two countries. During that war, the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, further hardening positions on both sides.
Iranian officials have offered little clarity on whether new talks might take place. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei declined to confirm any potential meeting in Ankara, while the US government did not immediately comment.
Meanwhile, Witkoff is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli security officials on Tuesday, according to a White House official. He is also scheduled to travel to Abu Dhabi later in the week for discussions related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Tensions escalated further on Monday when Iran summoned all European Union ambassadors in Tehran to protest the EU’s decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. The 27-nation bloc approved the move last week over the Guard’s role in crushing nationwide protests earlier this year.
While largely symbolic, the designation adds to the economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran. Tehran responded angrily, with Iran’s parliamentary speaker declaring that the country now considers all EU militaries to be terrorist groups under a 2019 law.
Baghaei warned that Iran would consider “reciprocal action” in the coming days, though he offered no details. The European Commission said it was keeping diplomatic channels open and urged restraint on all sides.
Adding to regional anxiety, Iran confirmed that Revolutionary Guard naval exercises were ongoing in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical waterway through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. The US military warned Tehran against harassing commercial shipping or American forces in the area.
Despite mounting pressures, Baghaei sought to reassure the Iranian public, saying, “Don’t worry at all,” when asked whether war was looming — even as diplomacy remains uncertain and the stakes continue to rise.