Türkiye joins Egypt, Pakistan to get US-Iran talks going

As Trump claims progress in ending the war with Iran, which the U.S. and Israel started, Türkiye, Pakistan and Egypt reportedly work behind the scenes to bring the sides to the table, a media report on Wednesday said.

Türkiye, Egypt and Pakistan are seeking a mediator role for bringing together U.S. and Iranian officials, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Turkish officials did not comment on the report, although Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has recently acknowledged diplomatic efforts to end the U.S.-Israel-Iran war.

The report says three countries aimed to have a meeting arranged between the U.S. and Iran within the next 48 hours, before U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline to Iran for strikes on energy infrastructure expires on Saturday. Daily Sabah reached out to the Foreign Ministry for a comment. The ministry did not comment on the matter but pointed out to a week of phone diplomacy by Minister Hakan Fidan. Fidan, who recently toured the Gulf countries affected by the war for talks on the conflict, has been busy with a diplomatic blitz to secure peace between the sides. He has engaged in talks with many counterparts, from Iran's Abbas Araghchi to Egypt's Badr Abdelatty, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and U.S. officials.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed his country’s readiness to host "conclusive" U.S.-Iran talks. On Monday, Sharif also spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, where he expressed solidarity with the Iranian people and called for "collective" efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East.

Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has emerged as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran, with Islamabad signaling readiness to host talks if both sides agree. A 15-point U.S. peace plan, delivered via Pakistan, outlines steps addressing Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs as well as maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a New York Times report.

Hostilities in the region have escalated since a joint U.S.-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has killed over 1,340 people since Feb. 28. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, which it says are hosting "U.S. military assets."

Türkiye, a neighbor of Iran and a NATO ally of the United States, has been keen on defusing the conflict. Türkiye, Pakistan and Egypt passed messages between Washington and Tehran over the weekend, U.S.-based Axios reported Monday.

The war led by Israel against regional countries is imposing a growing cost on the entire world, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday, warning that escalating tensions, including disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, are pushing the global economy into turmoil, as its consequences are being felt far beyond the Middle East.

“As the war drags on, new complications continue to emerge,” Erdoğan told a news conference after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, pointing to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a development that has already caused serious turbulence in the global economy.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the waterway, through which roughly 20% of global energy trade passes, Erdoğan warned that disruptions have forced some countries to take measures to reduce fuel consumption.

He emphasized that the economic burden of the conflict is growing by the day, underlining the urgent need to bring the war to an end.

Erdoğan also called for immediate action against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his circle, describing them as responsible for ongoing violence and urging all countries to adopt a bold and proactive stance for the sake of regional peace and humanity.

Türkiye, he said, has been among the countries accurately assessing the developments and acting with “state wisdom,” while maintaining a balanced and principled position.

“We are determined to keep our country outside the ring of fire,” Erdoğan added, warning against the risk of the conflict turning into a prolonged war of attrition among regional states.

He stressed that Türkiye does not want to see the conflict expand further, reiterating Ankara’s call for de-escalation and a swift resolution.

Erdoğan’s remarks come amid growing concerns over the broader economic and geopolitical consequences of the war, as energy markets and global trade routes face increasing pressure.