Turkey Offers To Mediate US–Iran Standoff While Weighing Border Reinforcements

Turkey has offered to mediate rising tensions between Washington and Tehran during a scheduled visit by Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, officials said. The diplomatic initiative comes as Ankara also studies possible security measures along its 500-kilometre border with Iran should the dispute escalate.

The visit follows threats from US President Donald Trump of military action after Iran's harsh response to recent protests. A US naval strike group arrived in Middle East waters this week, with the White House warning it was "ready, willing and able" to take action if necessary.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to tell Araghchi that Ankara "is ready to contribute to resolving the current tensions through dialogue," according to a Turkish diplomatic source who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. The source said Fidan will reiterate Turkey's opposition to military intervention against Iran because of the regional and global risks such action would entail.

"It's wrong to attack Iran. It's wrong to start the war again. Iran is ready to negotiate on the nuclear file again," Fidan told Al-Jazeera, urging a return to talks on Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed Araghchi's visit on X, saying Tehran is "determined to continuously strengthen relations with its neighbours based on the policy of good neighbourliness and common interests."

Contingency Plans Along the Border

Alongside its diplomatic outreach, Ankara is evaluating additional security options along the Turkey–Iran frontier if a US strike destabilises Iran, a senior Turkish official told AFP. Much of the 500-kilometre (310-mile) border is already secured by barriers, but the official said the current defences "have proven insufficient." Options under review include deploying additional troops and expanding technological surveillance systems, although authorities have so far avoided using the term "buffer zone."

Turkey began constructing a concrete wall in 2021 amid wider regional displacement concerns. To date, officials say there is no evidence of a mass movement of people toward Turkey linked to developments in Iran; the defence ministry reported it had detected "no evidence" of large-scale migration.

Surveillance along the frontier continues around the clock, including unmanned aerial vehicle reconnaissance. Official figures show the authorities have installed 203 electro-optical towers, 43 lift towers, 380 kilometres of modular concrete wall and 553 kilometres of trenches.