Fidan Says Both the US and Iran Are Sincere on Ceasefire as Nuclear Talks Stall
By Bosphorus News Staff
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said both the United States and Iran are sincere in seeking a ceasefire, even as nuclear-related disagreements blocked progress at talks held in Islamabad last week.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency's editorial desk on April 13, Fidan said Türkiye had spent the day following the talks in contact with both parties, assessing where the negotiations had stalled and what contribution Ankara could make. "Both sides are sincere about the ceasefire and aware of the need," he said.
Fidan noted that US Vice President JD Vance had held a press conference after the latest round of negotiations, and that Vance's remarks indicated a proposal had been placed on the table while a deadlock on nuclear issues remained. Fidan said his own conversations with the parties confirmed that specific proposals were in play, but that the core nuclear questions had not been resolved.
He framed the impasse as a predictable feature of early-stage diplomacy rather than a sign of collapse. "Starting positions are always somewhat maximalist," he said. "Afterwards, the parties try to find a meeting point with the support of mediators. What matters is that they have a genuine and lasting intention to reach and sustain a ceasefire."
Fidan added that Turkiye was actively monitoring the state of the talks and evaluating where Ankara's involvement could add value, consistent with the country's role in prior Iran-related diplomatic processes.
On the question of the Strait of Hormuz, Fidan said closure of the waterway was not in any party's interest. "What the entire world wants is for international transit to be free and unobstructed," he said. The remarks came amid broader concerns that an escalation between Washington and Tehran could threaten one of the world's most critical shipping lanes, through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply passes.
Fidan also pointed to what he described as a persistent disruptive factor in the negotiations. "We always have to account for Israel's spoiler role here," he said. "We keep saying this to the Americans and to the other parties." He indicated, however, that at the present moment both Washington and Tehran were focused on their own domestic calculations and the immediate terms of a potential agreement.
Türkiye has long positioned itself as a potential mediator between Iran and the West, having hosted earlier rounds of nuclear diplomacy and maintained open diplomatic channels with Tehran. Fidan's comments suggest Ankara is seeking a role in the current process, though the extent of any formal involvement was not specified.