Turkish foreign minister says Ankara wants no conflict with any country in Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed Wednesday that Türkiye has no intention of entering into a conflict with any country in Syria, including Israel.

Speaking during a live interview on CNN Turk television, Fidan addressed key issues and responded to questions.

“As Türkiye, we have no intention of clashing with any country in Syria, not just Israel,” he said, emphasizing that Syria is an independent nation.

"It is unacceptable for Israel to try to provoke in Syria by using its expansionist ambitions in the region,” he added.

Fidan reiterated that Türkiye does not seek a conflict with any country in the region but warned that Ankara cannot remain indifferent if Syria faces once again internal unrest, operations, or provocations that could threaten Turkish national security.

“We won’t just sit and watch,” he said.

Fidan also criticized Israel’s destruction of Syria’s military infrastructure following the departure of the ousted Assad regime, saying Tel Aviv has developed a strategy to leave the new Syrian administration and armed forces with “nothing,” and it is advancing it step by step.

"We do not openly attack any country that does not attack us. (But) if an area of instability emerges in a neighboring country that could also harm us, we cannot remain a bystander,” he stressed, adding in such a case, Türkiye takes steps, primarily diplomatic ones.

Responding to a question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveling to the US, Fidan said the “US needs to, so to speak, set boundaries for Netanyahu and establish a framework.”

Technical contacts with Israel

Addressing claims of direct or indirect talks between Türkiye and Israel, Fidan said: "While we are conducting certain operations in Syria, there needs to be a deconfliction mechanism at a certain point with Israel, which flies aircraft in that region, just like we do with the Americans and the Russians.”

"There are technical contacts (with Israel) to prevent combat elements from misunderstanding each other," he said, adding that these technical contacts are made directly when necessary.

Commenting on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s relations with US President Donald Trump, Fidan said that “Mr. Trump respects our president as a leader and has a good relationship with him.”

Asked when Erdogan and Trump might meet, he said both leaders are willing to do so as soon as mutually possible.

Regarding his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Fidan said they discussed a wide range of issues, including the need to halt Israeli bombardments in Syria.

Palestinian presence in Gaza will always fuel resistance

Fidan pointed out that Israel’s aim is not to keep Palestinians in Gaza.

“As long as the Palestinian population remains in Gaza, a resistance movement will always emerge—whether in the format of Hamas or another format. Why will a resistance movement emerge? Because the occupation continues. For there to be no resistance movement, Palestinians would need to be completely displaced from where they live,” he said.

On Turkish-Israeli relations, Fidan said: “We have outlined the terms of our normalization with Israel. The Palestinian issue is essential to that.”

US-Iran talks

Fidan said Türkiye is maintaining contact with both Iran and the US, stressing the urgency of direct dialogue.

“Before I traveled to the US, I spoke with Iran. After returning, I spoke with them again. I conveyed both sides’ expectations to one another,” he said. “My recommendation to both Americans and Iranians is to start talks face-to-face without delay.”

Fidan said Türkiye does not want to see another war in the region.

“Our region cannot withstand it,” he said. “A military operation against Iran would only increase instability — it wouldn’t accomplish anything else.”

He also said he believes there is a foundation for negotiations between Washington and Tehran.