Iran genuinely wants a deal with US, Fidan says

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) shake hands during a press conference after their meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye, 30 January 2026.

Iran “genuinely” wants to reach a real agreement with the United States over its nuclear portfolio, the Turkish top diplomat has said, stressing that expanding the scope of Tehran-Washington talks would risk compromise on nuclear issues and lead to another war.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the U.S. and Iran seemed willing to make concessions in order to reach a nuclear agreement.

Washington had signaled a willingness to be flexible on a key demand that Iran end all uranium enrichment and Tehran “genuinely wants to reach a real agreement” and would accept restrictions on enrichment levels and a strict inspections regime, Fidan said.

“It is positive that the Americans appear willing to tolerate Iranian enrichment within clearly set boundaries,” the minister said. “The Iranians now recognize that they need to reach a deal with the Americans, and the Americans understand that the Iranians have certain limits. It’s pointless to try to force them.”

Fidan opined that if the U.S. “insists on addressing all the issues simultaneously” — a reference to Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and support for regional militant groups — the nuclear file “will not move forward.”

“The result could be another war in the region,” he added.

Fidan’s remarks came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a snap visit to the White House to convince U.S. President Donald Trump for a new military attack against Iran. Washington and Tehran held their first meeting last week in Oman with hopes that they will continue to be engaged.

Creative ideas needed to tackle Iran’s nuclear program

Fidan said Ankara and other regional governments were “trying to develop creative ideas” to tackle Iran’s ballistic missile program and support for militants, adding they could play a “constructive and effective role.”

“The Americans are deeply concerned about Iran’s nuclear capabilities,” he said, adding that missiles and proxies affect regional security, being closely tied to the neighboring countries.

Fidan said he was concerned Netanyahu would seek to influence Trump during his White House visit. “For Israel, maintaining a position of military superiority in the region is a central priority,” he said. “The presence of Iranian missiles complicates that objective.”

Fidan urged the Trump administration and Iran to avoid repeating past mistakes, especially excluding regional states from talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal.

In the meantime, Fidan met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Ankara on late Feb. 11, according to diplomatic sources. There was no statement about the content of their conversation.