Turkey’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz told the Associated Press on Saturday that negotiations between Iran and the United States will take time to conclude.
Yilmaz, speaking on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum, said that there are many “complex issues” on the table.
Yilmaz, whose country has been supporting Pakistan’s efforts to bring the sides together, stressed that he believes talks between Iran and the U.S. would continue.
“We would all like these talks to end all at once, in a very short time. But we need to be realistic. These comprehensive negotiations will take some time,” Yilmaz said.
The vice president also said that a comprehensive settlement between Iran and the United States would be a prerequisite for free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
“What is the root cause here? The ongoing war. Therefore, the end of this war will provide the greatest guarantee,” he said.
This comes after Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, warning that it would continue to block transit as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
Iran said Friday it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, but U.S. President Donald Trump said the American blockade on Iranian ships and ports “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program.
AP video by Mehmet Guzel
