Turkish media outlets reported that CIA Director William Burns made a phone call to the head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization, Ibrahim Kalin, requesting Turkey’s mediation in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
During the call, Kalin and Burns also discussed ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, according to Turkey’s TRT network on Sunday.
Following his conversation with his American counterpart, Kalin engaged in negotiations with representatives from the Palestinian group Hamas.
The reports come in the wake of an aggressive strike by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, which launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday night, marking its first direct assault on Israeli soil, as confirmed by the Israeli military.
This intense military action by Iran was in retaliation to an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1st.
Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military, stated that Israel intercepted 99% of the airborne targets launched by Iran, including all the drones.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, revealed in a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Tehran on Sunday that Iran had notified the United States of its planned attacks against Israel. He emphasized that these attacks were intended to be “limited” and in self-defence.
Additionally, Amir-Abdollahian stated that Iran had informed its neighbours of the retaliatory strikes on Israel 72 hours before their execution.
“About 72 hours before our operations, we informed our friends and neighbours in the region that Iran’s response against Israel was certain, legitimate, and irrevocable,” the Foreign Minister stated during a press conference.
