Turkey and a number of Middle Eastern countries are preparing measures to protect the US-Iran negotiating process against “attempts to derail it”, a Turkish diplomatic source has told RIA Novosti.

"The Turkish side, together with Middle Eastern countries, is preparing measures aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the negotiating process between the US and Iran, taking into account the risk of possible attempts to disrupt it.”  

“Such attempts have been made in the past, so it is important to create conditions in advance that will allow the dialogue to be maintained and prevent its destabilisation," the source said on March 29.

The source did not identify which Middle Eastern countries were involved in the effort or specify what form the protective measures would take but likely referred to Israel which has twice bombed Iran while negotiations between the US and Iran over the nuclear deal were ongoing.

The statement comes as Iran formally transmitted its response to a 15-point US proposal via intermediaries on March 25, with Tehran setting out sweeping conditions including war reparations, a halt to strikes and recognition of its sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran's response to the US proposal set out sweeping conditions including war reparations, a halt to strikes and recognition of its sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has simultaneously accused Washington of using negotiations as cover for preparations for a ground offensive, a claim US officials have dismissed.

Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the war since it began on February 28, maintaining diplomatic relations with both Washington and Tehran.

The reference to past disruption attempts is likely to be read as an allusion to Israel's role in the conflict.

Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure in early March drew sharp criticism from Tehran and were widely seen as an effort to foreclose the possibility of a diplomatic settlement.

Turkey has been among the most vocal regional critics of Israel's involvement, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning that "those who fan the flames cannot then complain about the smoke."