Turkey 'optimistic' Middle East ceasefire will be extended

ANTALYA, Turkey: Turkey said on Sunday it remained “optimistic” that a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States that expires on Wednesday, would be extended, allowing more time for talks between the sides.

Pakistan is leading preparations for more high-level US-Iran peace talks after a first round ended without agreement last weekend,

Turkey, alongside Egypt, has expressed strong support for the Pakistan-led initiative on prolonging negotiations and preventing a return to hostilities.

“No one wants to see a new war break out when the ceasefire expires next week. We hope … the parties will extend the ceasefire,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at the closing of a three-day diplomacy forum in the southern Antalya province.

“I hope there’ll be an extension. I am optimistic,” he said.

Fidan said he spoke with Pakistani officials on Sunday but would not give a date when new talks could be held.

“The continuation of negotiations is something the entire international community wants. There is significant pressure in this regard,” he said.

“Under this level of pressure, I believe the parties should not see any obstacle to extending the ceasefire in order to continue peace negotiations,” added the minister.

Fidan said unless the sides chose to pursue more confrontational measures, there was “a strong possibility that the ceasefire will be extended and negotiations will continue”.

“Hopefully, a more positive scenario will emerge. With some luck, by that time, the key issues in the negotiations may already have been resolved,” he added.

Despite the optimism and movement in negotiations, Iran said on Sunday a final peace deal was “far” off.

“It is clear that the negotiations have reached a critical stage. Both sides are continuing the talks with a genuine sense of sincerity. They also have the will to keep the process going,” Fidan said.

Turkey’s top diplomat also accused Israel of seeking to create a “fait accompli” in Lebanon, despite an agreed ceasefire, denouncing what he said “Israeli expansionism”.

“The ongoing Iran–United States negotiations seem to be overshadowing this situation (in Lebanon). Israel appears to be trying to take advantage of this distraction to create a fait accompli,” Fidan also said.

On Saturday, Fidan said Israel was attempting to occupy new territories using security concerns as a pretext.

“We are talking about a fundamentalist government. We are talking about a security problem that troubles the world,” he said.