ANKARA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Attacking Iran would be wrong and would risk reigniting war, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said, adding that diplomacy remains viable and that Tehran is ready to re-engage on its nuclear file.
"Attacking Iran is wrong. Restarting the war is wrong," Fidan said in an interview with Al Jazeera, parts of which were aired on Wednesday. "When you begin negotiations, Iran is ready to renegotiate the nuclear dossier," he said.
Fidan said he has consistently advised U.S. officials to address issues with Iran step by step, beginning with the nuclear file.
He said that he visited Iran two months earlier and held frank discussions with the Iranian side, emphasizing the need for Tehran to build trust in the region.
"They need to pay attention to how they are perceived by countries in the region," he said, adding that regional states would continue to coexist.
The remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a "massive armada," headed by the Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln and larger than that sent to Venezuela, is heading to Iran, and warned Iran that "time is running out" to make a deal with the United States. Iran has warned of a "comprehensive and regret-inducing" response to any aggression. ■
