US-IRAN CEASEFIRE DEAL NOT IN ISRAEL’S INTEREST: FIDAN
Fidan was also asked about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, where he expressed confidence that the US and Iran were “sincere” in reaching a ceasefire deal.
On Feb 28, the US and Israel launched a wave of strikes in Iranian cities with Iran responding by launching retaliatory missile attacks at Israel and at several Gulf Arab allies of the US that host American bases.
Iran then also blocked shipping passages through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Both sides are under pressure to open the Strait of Hormuz. They have different reasons, but it’s the same desire, same objective. So that compels them to really reach a deal,” said Fidan on Tuesday.
However, the minister posited that US ally Israel “does not necessarily see an interest” in seeing a ceasefire deal, citing how Iran officials have had phone conversations with their Türkiye counterparts on Israeli troop movements in Lebanon, which have reached a point which are “not tolerable”.
“What Israel is doing in Lebanon is clearly in violation of our understanding, so we can expect such things from Netanyahu’s government,” he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Türkiye has been a fierce critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza as well as in Lebanon and Iran.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strongly criticised Israeli military actions against Iran, arguing that they risk dragging the entire Middle East into a wider and potentially devastating regional war. Türkiye shares a 560km long land border with Iran.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that talks with Iran were moving at a “rapid pace”, even as Tehran threatened to widen the war by keeping the Strait of Hormuz blocked and activating other pressure points around the region.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that Tehran was reviewing the proposed agreement with the US but has not yet responded to a proposed final text of the temporary deal, and was taking a “stern” approach given what it sees as a history of US non-compliance and longstanding mistrust.
Weeks of indirect US-Iran talks, threats and air strikes have failed to end the war or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping channel for Gulf oil and gas.
