Turkish Foreign Minister Claims Israel Is Blocking Regional Talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, whose country is involved in mediation efforts, told South Korea’s JTBC that the sides have reached a broad understanding on a draft memorandum, but that several technical steps remain before final approval.

Fidan said the immediate focus is not the nuclear issue, but urgent concerns such as food, energy, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

“Both the United States and Iran are first focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and then moving on to nuclear discussions,” Fidan said.

Fidan accused Israel of being the main obstacle to the talks, claiming Jerusalem sees any emerging agreement as against its national interests and is working to disrupt or block it.

Israel, however, has repeatedly made clear that it will not accept agreements that allow Iran or its terror proxies to threaten Israeli civilians. From Lebanon to Gaza, Israel continues to face an Iran-backed terror network that uses ceasefires and negotiations to regroup, rearm, and prepare the next attack.

Fidan also criticized Israel’s continued military activity following the U.S.-mediated ceasefire with Lebanon, pointing to recent large-scale Israeli strikes.

The final outcome of the negotiations may depend heavily on whether the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon holds. For Israel, the core issue remains simple: no deal can come at the cost of Israeli security.