Türkiye lauded by US, Iran for mediation role in war-end deal

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other senior Turkish officials on June 15 welcomed an agreement announced by the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war, while regional and international leaders credited Türkiye for supporting the mediation effort.

Erdoğan called the deal “an important development for ensuring peace and tranquility in our region” in a statement posted on X.

“I would like to emphasize the importance of refraining from rhetoric, provocations and actions that could escalate tensions, and of remaining vigilant against possible acts of sabotage until the day the signatures are affixed,” he wrote.

Erdoğan thanked the U.S. and Iranian leaderships for reaching the deal and singled out Pakistan for what he called “exceptional mediation efforts,” while also praising diplomatic support from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

“As Türkiye, we will continue to support all efforts aimed at establishing peace, stability and prosperity in our region, and contribute to lasting solutions based on diplomacy and international law,” he said.

U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack echoed Erdoğan’s remarks, quoting his post and expressing Washington’s appreciation for Ankara’s role in supporting de-escalation.

“Progress is possible when nations choose dialogue, partnership, and a shared commitment to peace and security,” Barrack said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also thanked Turkish top diplomat Hakan Fidan in a phone call on June 15, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

“Minister Fidan emphasized the need to be vigilant against provocations aimed at derailing the agreement, stating that Türkiye will resolutely continue its contributions to strengthening peace, tranquility and stability in the region,” local media cited the sources as saying.

In an earlier statement, Fidan called the deal an important step toward lasting peace. “It is of great importance that all relevant countries demonstrate a prudent and responsible attitude to prevent attempts to sabotage the agreement and to protect regional peace and security,” he said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also thanked Türkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their support in facilitating the mediation process.

Türkiye’s intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın, for his part, said he was “waiting cautiously” as negotiations move toward implementation.

“The upcoming period will be a difficult one, where the main issues will be addressed, discussed and negotiated,” he said on June 15 in a statement.

“We congratulate all the countries, especially Pakistan and Qatar, and leaders who have shown determination in this matter for their support in this process. We hope that the next step will be the building of peace and an important step towards establishing lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Washington and Islamabad said the agreement was to be signed on June 19 in Switzerland, signaling what would be a major breakthrough to ending months of war that have taken thousands of lives and roiled energy markets.