Ankara said it had a “debt of honour” to reveal what happened.
“We are not accusing anyone in advance but we don’t accept anything to remain covered (up),” said ruling Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions remained unanswered while German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged transparency, adding that “available reports on what happened in the Istanbul consulate are insufficient.”
“This cannot stand. This will not do,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison added on Sunday.
The EU’s top diplomat Federica Mogherini and UN chief Antonio Guterres both called for a proper investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account.
Trump initially said he found the explanation credible, but later expressed more scepticism — although he warned against scrapping a multibillion-dollar arms deal with the conservative kingdom.
“No, I am not satisfied until we find the answer,” he told reporters. “It was a big first step. It was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer.”
Saudi Arabia’s Gulf ally, the United Arab Emirates, welcomed the Saudi disclosures, as did Egypt and Oman.