US-Iran tensions raise regional concerns as Tehran signals willingness for talks

CAIRO -- Rising tensions between Iran and the United States have alarmed regional leaders and sparked urgent calls for renewed diplomacy. Tehran on Friday signaled a conditional willingness to return to the negotiating table to ease the escalating confrontation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkiye is prepared to facilitate dialogue between Tehran and Washington. In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Erdogan underscored Ankara's commitment to constructive diplomacy and offered to act as a mediator in efforts to de-escalate the crisis.

Pezeshkian reiterated Iran's commitment to "dignity-based diplomacy" grounded in international law, mutual respect, and dialogue and rejected threats or the use of force. In remarks to Erdogan, he stressed that successful diplomacy depends on abandoning hostile actions and fostering goodwill.

In a separate call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran seeks engagement, not conflict.

"Iran prioritizes safeguarding security and establishing lasting peace and stability in the region," he said, while criticizing Western powers for what Tehran sees as a lack of genuine diplomatic commitment.

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, on a diplomatic visit to Istanbul, reiterated that Tehran is prepared for talks with the United States but only if they are fair and not conducted under threat.

Speaking at a press conference alongside his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, Araghchi said that while Tehran remains open to all diplomatic avenues, arrangements for the format, location, and agenda of talks have yet to be agreed. He stressed that Iran will not negotiate its defensive capabilities.

Araghchi also said Iran is prepared for all scenarios, including military conflict, and claimed that its readiness now surpasses its preparedness during last year's Israeli and US airstrikes. He reaffirmed that Iran has never sought nuclear weapons but will maintain and expand its defense capabilities.

Fidan urged both nations to return immediately to negotiations, asserting that diplomacy is the only viable path to prevent further escalation.

Meanwhile, Iran's Ali Larijani, the country's top security official, visited Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin received him. According to the Iranian embassy in Moscow, the talks focused on economic cooperation and significant regional and international issues, though details were limited.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi warned that the crisis threatens broader regional stability. Speaking at the Egyptian Military Academy, Sisi highlighted concerns that a military confrontation could have severe security and economic repercussions.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in a call with Araghchi, affirmed that Azerbaijan will not allow its territory or airspace to be used against Iran or any neighboring state, underscoring that disputes should be resolved through dialogue under international law.

At the same time, the United States has bolstered its military presence in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump said that a "massive armada," led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and larger than the fleet sent to Venezuela, is heading toward Iran. The deployment reflects the heightened risk of confrontation, even as Washington publicly holds out the possibility of diplomacy.

On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces reported that the US guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black made a routine stop in Eilat on the Red Sea, underscoring ongoing US-Israeli military cooperation. Later, Trump said he has given a deadline directly to Tehran, while refusing to disclose its specifics.

The United States has insisted that any agreement must include a ban on uranium enrichment, removal of enriched material, limits on long-range missiles, and a rollback of support for regional proxies -- conditions Tehran has rejected.

For regional observers, the current tensions do not necessarily mean that direct military conflict between the United States and Iran is inevitable.

"So far, it cannot be said that the United States has made a definitive decision to wage war against Iran. Indicators suggest that the Trump administration is using time as a weapon, brandishing force to raise the cost of Iran's refusal," Faleh Al Hajri, a Qatari political analyst, told Xinhua.