Erdoğan discusses US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal with Rouhani over phone

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the phone on May 9, telling his Iranian counterpart that he found the U.S. decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran to be wrong, according to a source in Erdoğan’s office.

He also reportedly told Rouhani that Turkey still wanted the deal to be maintained, after U.S. President Donald Trump on May 8 announced that the United States would pull out from the deal.

On May 9, Erdoğan told CNN International he fears new crises will break out in the Middle East as a result of the U.S. abandoning the Iran deal.

“We don’t need new crises in the region,” Erdoğan said, adding that Trump’s decision is not just going to impact the region, but the entire world.

Erdoğan said Trump’s move would put the entire world economy at stake.

“That is the reason why Turkey will be hit but the United States may certainly have some positive gain from this withdrawal or the rising oil prices. However, many of the countries in poverty will be hit even harder and deeper,” he added.