Fidan: Regime change in Iran through military attack is an illusion
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in a television interview, stated: “Even in the event of war or an airstrike, regime change in Iran is not a realistic scenario. It is an illusion.”
He added: “The outbreak of a new war in the region is a burden the region cannot bear. Our President is also extremely sensitive on this matter, and we are using all our capabilities to prevent a potential war from occurring.”
Referring to the indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in Oman, of which Turkey is aware of the details, Fidan said: “Tension reduction is not an issue that yields quick results. However, the fact that the parties have shown their willingness to continue negotiations is important. Ankara’s main message has been to stay away from a threatening atmosphere and to distance themselves from a war scenario.”
He described the decision to start negotiations focusing on the nuclear file as important and decisive, saying: “The nuclear issue is the most important and priority matter. Iran is prepared to discuss the current status of uranium enrichment and the fate of previously enriched uranium. If we reach a solution in this area, then we can also place other issues on the negotiation table within an appropriate framework.”
The Turkish Foreign Minister continued: “The nuclear file is directly related to the national security of the United States and global security, but issues such as ballistic missiles and proxy forces are not directly linked to U.S. security and relate more to Israel’s security and regional stability. These issues are, above all, the concern of regional countries.”
Fidan said that if a nuclear agreement satisfactory to both sides is reached, an atmosphere of mutual trust will form, making it easier to resolve other disputes.
In response to a question about the intentions of the parties in the negotiations, he stated: “Both. This is not surprising; it is the rule of strategy. In such hostile environments, when negotiations begin, preparations for other scenarios continue simultaneously.”
Fidan described recent military movements as part of the nature of such crises, saying: “The dispatch of naval fleets and bomber aircraft to the region, the repositioning of U.S. strategic forces, along with Tehran’s announcement of increasing the number of missiles, show that any potential attack could be costly and complicated for all parties.”
He emphasized Turkey’s role in preventing a larger crisis and noted: “Turkey’s primary duty is to adopt a deterrent approach to prevent the region from being dragged into a larger crisis. We have used all our power on this path.”
In another part of his remarks, Fidan stressed the importance of regional cooperation, saying: “Instead of each country acting alone, the same spirit of solidarity could be applied to the Iran file as well; let’s create a common platform, reach a consensus, and convey a unified voice to both the Americans and the Iranians.”
He added that American officials have also welcomed such regional initiatives.
The Turkish Foreign Minister concluded by emphasizing: “The greatest need of the region is for its countries to be able to trust each other. Otherwise, countries inevitably resort to dominant external powers.” He expressed hope that in the near future, significant developments for the region’s stability would occur.
