Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pressed President Donald Trump in a phone call Wednesday to keep diplomacy at the center of efforts to resolve the Iran conflict, welcoming the extension of a ceasefire and telling the U.S. president that a “reasonable solution” remained possible, according to Turkey’s presidency.

The call added Turkey’s voice to a fast-moving regional push to prevent the U.S.-Iran confrontation from sliding back into open war. Reuters reported that Erdogan told Trump he viewed the ceasefire extension as a positive development and believed disputed issues between the parties could be resolved. Turkey, a NATO member that shares a long border with Iran, has been in contact with Washington, Tehran and Pakistan, which has been involved in mediation efforts.

The Turkish readout did not describe a new formal Turkish proposal or say that Erdogan had secured any commitment from Trump. But the timing of the call was significant: Trump has publicly said talks with Iran were in advanced stages while also warning that further military action remained possible if Tehran did not agree to a deal. That combination of diplomatic opening and renewed threat has prompted regional governments to intensify efforts to keep the ceasefire intact.

For Ankara, the stakes are immediate. Turkey is geographically close to the conflict zone, economically exposed to regional instability and politically invested in limiting wider escalation across the Middle East. A renewed U.S.-Iran war could intensify pressure on energy routes, refugee flows, Syrian security and the already volatile Israel-Hezbollah front in Lebanon. Erdogan’s message to Trump reflected those overlapping concerns, linking the Iran ceasefire to broader regional stability.

According to Reuters, Erdogan also told Trump that renewed stability in Syria would be an “important gain” for the region and urged steps to prevent conditions in Lebanon from worsening amid continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The Turkish presidency said the two leaders also discussed bilateral ties and preparations for a NATO summit scheduled to be held in Ankara in July.

Trump later characterized the conversation positively, saying he had a “very good” call with Erdogan and describing the Turkish leader as tough but reliable. Reuters quoted Trump as saying Erdogan had been “very much of an ally,” while acknowledging that some people doubted that characterization. The public warmth underscored a familiar feature of U.S.-Turkey relations under Trump: personal rapport between the two presidents often runs alongside policy disputes over defense, Syria, sanctions, Israel and regional alignments.

The Iran diplomacy now gives both leaders a narrow area of possible convergence. Trump has sought to pressure Tehran into a settlement while keeping military options open. Erdogan has positioned Turkey as a regional actor able to communicate across divides, even as Ankara maintains its own hard interests in Syria, Iraq, NATO and the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey’s ability to influence Tehran is not unlimited, but its geography and contacts make it a useful participant in message-passing and de-escalation.

The call also came as Axios reported that Qatar and Pakistan had been working with input from other regional players, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, on a revised effort to bridge U.S.-Iran gaps. Axios said the initiative was intended to produce clearer commitments from Iran on its nuclear program and more specificity from Washington on the gradual release of frozen Iranian funds, though it remained unclear whether Tehran would shift its position.

That broader mediation track has exposed divisions among U.S. partners. Axios reported that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a difficult call this week over a proposed path toward a deal with Iran. Netanyahu has been skeptical of negotiations and has favored more pressure on Iran, while Trump has continued to say a deal could still be reached but that the war could resume quickly if the U.S. does not get what it considers the right answer.

Turkey’s role is delicate because Ankara has to balance several audiences at once. It is a NATO ally of the United States, a regional competitor and neighbor of Iran, a critic of Israeli military action in several arenas, and a power broker in parts of Syria. Erdogan’s call therefore carried more than a generic appeal for calm. It signaled that Turkey wants a place in the diplomatic architecture shaping any post-ceasefire settlement.

For the United States, Erdogan’s intervention highlights how regional governments are trying to shape Trump’s decision-making before the ceasefire window closes or diplomacy stalls. Gulf states, Pakistan, Qatar and Turkey all have reasons to avoid a broader conflict that could disrupt shipping, energy markets and domestic security. Their collective pressure may give Trump political space to delay military action, but it also raises expectations that negotiations produce something concrete.

The most difficult issues remain unresolved. The U.S. has demanded constraints on Iran’s nuclear program and assurances that Tehran will not use negotiations to buy time for military recovery. Iran has sought relief from pressure on its assets and shipping and has linked progress to broader regional conditions. Israel continues to argue that Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities must be degraded decisively. Those positions leave mediators trying to build a temporary framework before the sides agree on a final settlement.

Erdogan’s emphasis on Syria and Lebanon also suggests Turkey sees the Iran file as inseparable from other active flashpoints. In Syria, Ankara has long backed factions opposed to Kurdish groups it considers terrorist-linked, while also seeking influence over the country’s political future. In Lebanon, any further escalation between Israel and Hezbollah could draw in Iran-aligned forces and widen the conflict beyond the U.S.-Iran track.

The NATO summit planned for Ankara in July gives Turkey another reason to lower tensions. Hosting the alliance’s leaders while a major U.S.-Iran confrontation remains unresolved would put Turkey’s regional diplomacy and alliance role under intense scrutiny. Erdogan told Trump that preparations were continuing and that Turkey was working to make the summit successful, according to the Turkish presidency.

For now, the call appears to have reinforced diplomatic momentum rather than produced a breakthrough. Erdogan’s message was that the ceasefire extension should be treated as an opening, not simply a pause before another round of strikes. Whether that opening survives depends on decisions in Washington, Tehran and Jerusalem, as well as the ability of regional mediators to turn informal proposals into commitments both sides can defend at home.

The immediate U.S. relevance is clear: Trump is facing pressure from multiple directions as he considers whether to keep negotiating or resume military action. Erdogan’s call adds a NATO ally’s voice to the argument for diplomacy, while also reminding Washington that any renewed conflict with Iran would carry consequences well beyond the bilateral U.S.-Iran dispute.