Tensions remain high in the Middle East: US Ambassador to Ankara calls on Turkey regarding Iran

Tensions in the Middle East remain high following the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and senior Hezbollah figures.

Following the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran announced that it would retaliate against Israel. While Iran holds Israel responsible for the assassination, Israel has not claimed responsibility.

"WE WANT THEM TO PERSUADE IRAN"

US Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake made statements regarding developments in the Middle East at a press conference he held in Istanbul.

According to a Reuters report, Flake, who issued a call to Turkey, said, "We are asking all of our allies who have a relationship with Iran to persuade Iran to de-escalate, and that includes Turkey."

Referring to his Turkish counterparts, Flake said, "They are doing everything they can to ensure that there is no escalation. They seem more confident than we are that there will not be an escalation."

The main issues that have emerged in relations between the US and Turkey in recent years have been the US alliance with the YPG, which Turkey views as a terrorist organization, and Turkey's purchase of S-400 defense systems from Russia.

The purchase of the S-400s led to US sanctions and the removal of Turkey from the F-35 program.

However, Flake said he believes US-Turkey relations are "in a better place than they have been for a long time."

Flake pointed to the "helpful role" Turkey played in the largest prisoner swap between the US and Russia since the Cold War, which took place in Ankara at the beginning of August.

Flake said, "They were not on the negotiating side, but they played an important role on the logistics side."

"TURKEY IS FIRMLY ANCHORED TO THE WEST"

In an interview with Reuters in June, Flake had said that despite the disagreement between the two countries over Israel's war in Gaza, Turkey is "firmly anchored" to the West and that the strategic partnership between the two countries has "never been stronger."

In his statement today, Flake noted that the situation in Gaza is "very difficult" and expressed that the anti-Israel rhetoric of AKP Chairman and President Tayyip Erdoğan makes it difficult for Turkey to play a mediating role.

Flake also said that the disagreements between Ankara and Washington have decreased since Washington began "actively" calling for a ceasefire, but that friction continues.

Stating that the US remains concerned about military-linked equipment sent from Turkey to Russia, Flake asked Ankara to increase cooperation to prevent such exports.

Flake said, "This continues to be a concern for us, and we raise it frequently and consistently. In our meetings with our counterparts here, we will point out that our goal is to deprive Russia of its war-fighting capability."

Flake added, "We see that a significant amount of product is coming from Turkey. Therefore, we want to have better cooperation, and in many ways, we are achieving that. I know Russia is complaining, which is a good sign."