TURKEY PERSPECTIVE

Ankara, July 3, 2026. As Turkey's capital city closely watches, indirect talks between Washington and Tehran, held on Wednesday in Doha under Qatari-Pakistani mediation, have resulted in what mediators describe as 'positive progress.' However, for the Turkish press, the day will be marked by a paradox: on the same day, the Iranian military warned oil tankers that they would face an 'immediate and forceful response' if they deviated from approved routes in the Strait of Hormuz. The June 18 agreement memorandum laid the groundwork: a ceasefire, the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iran, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Technical discussions began on June 21 in Switzerland before moving to Doha. The Anadolu Agency reports that Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim, receiving envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Wednesday, reaffirmed Doha's willingness to push for a 'comprehensive and lasting' agreement. The emir also discussed the issue with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, highlighting the expanded regional dimension of the negotiations. Islamabad confirmed on Thursday that the next meeting would be scheduled 'as soon as possible,' but after the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Killed on February 28 at the age of 86, the supreme leader will be buried on July 9 in Mashhad, his hometown. His son Mojtaba has taken over. The diplomatic horizon remains open, but the mourning schedule imposes a pause of at least one week. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi specified that working groups have been formed to record violations of the memorandum, but they 'have not yet started working' towards a final agreement. BBC Türkçe notes the divergence between Trump, who mentions 'very positive' progress on nuclear disarmament, and Reuters, which notes the absence of any concrete indication on this subject in the discussions. For Ankara, the Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery. Turkey depends on the Persian Gulf for a significant portion of its energy imports. The warning from the Iranian military command Khatam al-Anbiya - explicitly formulated on the same Wednesday - amplifies uncertainties about the stability of the maritime corridor. The Daily Sabah notes that the interim agreement provided for the free movement of ships for sixty days without fees, but Tehran insists on controlling routes and subsequently collecting passage rights - a requirement rejected by Washington and the Arab Gulf states. Vice President JD Vance has set the terms of the challenge: if the negotiations succeed, Iran will renounce nuclear weapons and cease financing regional instability; in the event of failure, its nuclear program and conventional army will be destroyed again. This binary framework is relayed without editorial comment by the Turkish media, reflecting Ankara's institutional caution in the face of a conflict with direct consequences for its energy security.