Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called US President Donald Trump on August 17, 2026, urging him to pursue negotiations with Iran to reduce tensions and offered Turkey’s backing for peace efforts [1, 2, 3, 4]. Erdogan stressed the importance of fully utilizing diplomacy in the US-Iran dispute and expressed hope that talks will continue, stating that Turkey will maintain its support for efforts aimed at peace [1].
Turkey, NATO’s second-largest army and a neighbor of Iran, acts as a regional intermediary. It maintains communication channels with the US, Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar, positioning itself as a key player amid tensions [1, 2, 3]. On the same day, Turkey’s Foreign Minister met with his Iranian counterpart to discuss reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz and continuing ceasefire talks [1, 2, 3].
Iran’s position hardened as a senior official declared that Tehran would adopt a "fully offensive" military posture due to stalled negotiations and the US ruling out an extension of a temporary ceasefire [1, 2, 3]. Progress toward resuming oil tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz has also stalled [1, 2, 3].
Turkey has publicly criticized US and Israeli attacks on Iran while condemning Iranian strikes on Gulf states. Ankara calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, vital for global oil traffic [1, 2, 3]. In his call with Trump, Erdogan also discussed bilateral ties, the ongoing Gaza conflict, and a recently signed defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Erdogan called the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement a "strong stance in ensuring regional stability and security" [1, 2, 3, 4].
Erdogan told Trump that Israeli attacks on Palestinians had intensified just as the second phase of Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan was due to begin [1]. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the call [1, 2, 3].
On the same day, Erdogan spoke by phone with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, congratulating him and discussing ways to advance bilateral relations, trade, and defense cooperation [5].
