Fidan calls for peaceful Hormuz reopening, longer ceasefire

ANKARA

Türkiye’s foreign minister said on April 13 the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened through peaceful means, expressing cautious optimism that a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States could be extended to support ongoing negotiations.

"We are feeling the indirect effects of the closure of Hormuz. Our position is that it should be opened through peaceful means. It would be very challenging to deploy there an international armed peacekeeping force. We see that many countries are not willing to do this," Hakan Fidan told state-run Anadolu Agency in an interview.

Fidan said he did not expect long-term problems regarding the strait once negotiations with Iran are concluded but stressed that the disruption had underscored the global stakes of the conflict.

“The Strait of Hormuz clearly showed that the war is not just regional but global,” he said. “The fact that world markets felt this so closely is the most important point showing that the war is global," he said.

"[However], countries do not want to get involved in this war... The whole world is waiting for an answer to the question of how the Strait of Hormuz will be operated from now on."

Fidan said he had been in contact with officials attending talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad on April 12, including his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar.

“The parties laid out their initial positions. Both sides are sincere about the ceasefire and aware of its need,” Fidan said. “If things go well, an additional ceasefire period of 45 or 60 days might be possible to allow negotiations to continue.”

Iranian and U.S. delegations concluded 21 hours of talks in Islamabad early on April 12 without reaching an agreement.

The conflict has intensified since late February, with more than 3,000 people killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes targeting Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets before a two-week ceasefire was announced earlier last week.

Fidan also warned that Israel could shift its focus if a ceasefire with Iran holds, suggesting Ankara may face increased tensions.

“After Iran, Israel cannot live without an enemy,” the Turkish diplomat said. “We see that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is seeking to declare Türkiye as a new enemy.”

Fidan said Türkiye was making “intense efforts” to end the war permanently and establish lasting peace in the region.

He held a phone call with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on April 10 to discuss recent developments in the conflict.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the two officials exchanged views on the broader global implications of the temporary truce.