West Asia war LIVE: Erdogan urges Trump to pursue talks with Iran, offers support

Home News World Turkiye has maintained close ‌contact with the United States, Iran and mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar, while also ‌acting as an intermediary between the parties Updated - August 18, 2026 07:35 am IST Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. File | Photo Credit: Reuters Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call to pursue talks with Iran to de-escalate ‌tensions between the two countries, and offered Ankara’s support for peace efforts, the Turkish presidency said on ⁠Tuesday (August 17, 2026).Also read | Indian sailors’ SOS: ‘Company asking us to risk lives, cross Strait of Hormuz’Turkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army and borders Iran, has repeatedly called for an end to the war. It has maintained close ‌contact with the United States, Iran and mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar, while also ‌acting as an intermediary between the parties.“Erdogan stated that ‌it ⁠is of great importance to make the utmost ⁠of diplomacy regarding the tensions between Iran and the United States, that we hope the talks will continue, and that Turkey will continue to support peace efforts,” the ‌presidency said in a statement. Also read |Why is the Strait of Hormuz critical to global energy flows? | ExplainedThe call comes after a senior Iranian official told Reuters earlier on Monday (August 17) that Iran would shift to a “fully offensive” military posture because efforts ‌to negotiate a permanent end to the war have stalled, as Washington ruled out extending a temporary ceasefire agreement.Follow for LIVE updates:August 18, 2026 07:35 Replug | Why is the Strait of Hormuz critical to global energy flows? | Explained Since late February, the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the centre of a deepening energy and security crisis. The escalation followed U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, after which Tehran tightened restrictions on the narrow waterway. Why is the Strait of Hormuz critical to global energy flows? | ExplainedThe Strait of Hormuz is a narrow stretch through which about one-fifth of global oil and large volumes of LNG pass daily, making it central to global energy flows and trade. Blockades or threats can sharply reduce shipping, push up energy prices, disrupt supply chains.August 18, 2026 07:00 Oil climbs as fading U.S.-Iran peace hopes raise supply risksOil prices rose today as a deal to end the West Asia war seemed further out ⁠of sight, with Iran saying it will adopt a more offensive stance and the U.S. ruling out extending a ceasefire agreement, heightening worries about energy supply.Iran will shift to ‌a “fully offensive” military posture because efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war with the U.S. have stalled, a senior ‌Iranian official told Reuters yesterday, as Washington ruled out extending a ‌temporary ⁠ceasefire agreement.Outward progress towards peace talks and a resumption of ⁠oil tanker traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has ground to a halt, threatening to extend the conflict that the U.S. and Israel launched with attacks on Iran on February 28.Brent crude futures climbed 27 ‌cents, or 0.3%, to $91.14 by 0003 GMT, after rising to their highest since July 30 yesterday.- ReutersAugust 18, 2026 06:46 Indian sailors’ SOS: ‘Company asking us to risk lives, cross Strait of Hormuz’Indian sailors aboard a ship in the Persian Gulf have sent out an SOS video alleging that their employer is telling them to transit the Strait of Hormuz despite the security risks and put their lives in danger. The SOS video was sent on a day reports said that Iran is ready to escalate tensions in the chokepoint as talks with the U.S. to end the conflict have stalled.Indian sailors’ SOS: ‘Company asking us to risk lives, cross Strait of Hormuz’Indian sailors plead for safety, refusing to navigate the perilous Strait of Hormuz under employer pressure amid escalating tensions.August 18, 2026 06:45 Iran says it will escalate if U.S. does not honour deal within weeksIran will escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond, and launch an attack if the ‌U.S. fails to implement an interim peace deal fully in a matter of weeks, a senior ⁠Iranian official told Reuters yesterday.Iran says it will escalate if U.S. does not honour deal within weeksIran threatens military action in weeks if the U.S. fails to honor a peace deal, escalating tensions in the region.August 18, 2026 06:44 Erdogan urges Trump to pursue talks with Iran, offers supportTurkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call to pursue talks with Iran to de-escalate ‌tensions between the two countries, and offered Ankara’s support for peace efforts, the Turkish presidency said today.Turkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army and borders Iran, has repeatedly called for an end to the war. It has maintained close ‌contact with the United States, Iran and mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar, while also ‌acting as an intermediary between the parties.“Erdogan stated that ‌it ⁠is of great importance to make the utmost ⁠of diplomacy regarding the tensions between Iran and the United States, that we hope the talks will continue, and that Turkey will continue to support peace efforts,” the ‌presidency said in a statement.- Reuters Published - August 18, 2026 06:42 am IST