Erdogan urges Trump to avoid fresh Iran strikes as Turkey pushes for deal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pleaded with US President Donald Trump to refrain from launching fresh strikes against Iran, as regional powers strive to ease tensions. Speaking at a conference in Ankara on Monday, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin stated that Erdogan made the appeal during a phone call with Trump over the weekend.

Kalin warned that any US attack on Iran would set off a vicious cycle of regional violence. The Turkish official explained that Turkey and other regional mediators were making headway on a seven-point plan to avert conflict. The agreement would see Iran receiving sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for committing not to acquire nuclear weapons and beginning separate nuclear negotiations via the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran would also be required to open the Strait of Hormuz. Kalin cautioned that even a small incident could reignite conflict in the region. He added that a breakthrough agreement would prevent US attacks on Iran in the coming days. Erdogan is set to host regional leaders in Antalya, during the Cop31 climate summit, as a possible venue for advancing the deal.

Meanwhile, Qatar will host US Vice President JD Vance and senior Iranian national security official Mohsen Rezaei, marking a significant opportunity for negotiations. However, an Iranian source familiar with the situation remained skeptical about the prospects of the agreement being reached, suggesting that Washington would only move forward with concessions if they were costly enough to Trump.

Some Iranian media outlets even reported that Iran might target US bases in Europe, sparking debate in Turkey about how Ankara might respond as a NATO ally.