Erdogan and Trump spoke by phone

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call with US President Donald Trump, urging him to continue negotiations with Iran to de-escalate tensions between the two countries and offering Ankara’s support for peace efforts. This was reported by the press office of the Turkish president.

Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and borders Iran, has repeatedly called for an end to the war. It maintains close contacts with the United States, Iran, and mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar, and is also acting as a mediator between the parties.

“Erdogan stated it was extremely important to make the most of diplomatic opportunities regarding tensions between Iran and the United States, that they hope for continued negotiations, and that Turkey will continue to support peace efforts,” says the statement from the presidential administration, cited by Reuters.

The presidential administration added that Erdogan and Trump also discussed bilateral relations, the war in Gaza, and the defense agreement signed between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, noting that the Turkish leader praised the agreement as a sign of a “firm stance” on regional stability and security.

The statement noted that Erdogan told Trump about intensified Israeli attacks on Palestinians at the moment when the second phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan was supposed to take effect.