Turkey has notably not condemned the US for its June 22 “Midnight Hammer” strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites.

Several hours after the attacks took place, the Turkish foreign ministry cautioned that the bombing risked further destabilising the Middle East’s security environment.

"Turkey is deeply concerned about the possible consequences of the US attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear facilities," the ministry said.

It added: "Ongoing developments could escalate the regional conflict to a global level. We do not want this catastrophic scenario to become reality."

All the same, there was no hint of condemnation directed at the US Trump administration for the escalation of the conflict with Iran, historically a regional rival to Turkey. Yet a day earlier Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the weeks-long Israeli strikes on Iran and said that he condemned them "in the strongest manner", adding: “Those assuming they can establish their security by drowning the region in fire, conflicts, chaos and tears pursue a pipe dream. Israel cannot ensure its own security by threatening the security of its neighbours.”

Erdogan has no end of verbal fire that he will direct at "genocidal" Israeli leader Bejamin Netanyahu, whom he often says is worse than Hitler, but he’s certainly not known for directing criticism at US President Donald Trump. As a columnist of this publication wrote on June 14: “Erdogan could make a few million if he was to be paid per swear word he has directed at Israel’s PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, over the years. However, do not be fooled by 'easy' media headlines. All through the Iraq and Syria operations of recent decades, all of the US' proxies in the Middle East, including Turkey's government, have served in harmony with Washington's requirements.”

Erdogan is also only too aware of what a falling out with Trump could mean in terms of the damage it might inflict on the brittle Turkish economy and on his geopolitical ambitions. One ambition is to exploit the fact that a Turkey-friendly administration is now seated in Damascus. Capitalising on this might require some US cooperation, for example, in terms of moving out US troops that stand in the way of Nato member Turkey becoming master on the ground when it comes to Syrian-Kurdish forces that present an obstacle to ambitions in Syria.

Trump could also unblock some of Turkey’s military build-up ambitions by removing sanctions that presently prevent Ankara from acquiring top kit such as the world’s most advanced fighter jet, the F-35 stealth plane.