Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by telephone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, with the two top diplomats reviewing the latest state of negotiations between Iran and the United States, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said.
The call, confirmed by both sides on May 17, focused on the current phase of the diplomatic process aimed at turning a fragile ceasefire into a lasting settlement. Ministry sources told the state-run Anadolu Agency that the ministers discussed where the talks stand and assessed recent developments in the negotiation track.
Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a separate readout saying Araghchi briefed Fidan on Tehran's diplomatic efforts and initiatives designed to bring what it calls the "imposed war" to a definitive end. The Iranian statement added that Araghchi raised concerns about US military movements in the Persian Gulf and accused Washington of violating the ceasefire on multiple occasions.
Fidan, for his part, stressed that diplomatic channels must remain open. Turkish officials have repeated that position in public and private in recent weeks. On May 13, Fidan told reporters that both Washington and Tehran currently show "enough will" to stop the fighting and reach a settlement, though he cautioned that renewed escalation would harm regional stability and the global economy.
The telephone diplomacy comes at a sensitive moment. A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan took effect on April 8, halting — at least officially — a war that began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. Yet the truce has been tested repeatedly by clashes in the Persian Gulf, accusations of ceasefire violations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes.
Indirect talks between Iran and the United States, hosted by Pakistan, have continued in fits and starts. A round of negotiations in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 did not produce a breakthrough. On May 16, Pakistan's interior minister traveled to Tehran to try to revive momentum. The same day, US President Donald Trump publicly rejected Iran's latest proposal as "totally unacceptable," raising fresh doubts about the process.
Turkey has positioned itself as a diplomatic bridge throughout the crisis. Fidan has held multiple calls with Araghchi since the war began, as well as with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, and other counterparts. Ankara says it supports any initiative that can end the war, and it has backed Pakistan's mediation effort while staying in direct contact with both Tehran and Washington.
The broader context remains volatile. Iran's nuclear program, the status of the Strait of Hormuz, and the presence of US and Israeli forces in the region are all unresolved. Analysts note that while the April 8 ceasefire lowered the immediate temperature, it did not address any of the core disputes. The phone call between Fidan and Araghchi — one of several in the past two weeks — signals that regional diplomacy continues, even as the gap between the Iranian and American positions remains wide.