Erdoğan: Türkiye on side of peace, working to extinguish Iran war flames

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara's "clear" stance regarding Iran on Wednesday, emphasizing that Türkiye is always on the side of peace, not war, as the US-Israeli conflict with Tehran continues to escalate. Noting the country's efforts for a ceasefire in Iran, Erdoğan said Ankara is making "intensive efforts to ensure guns fall silent, a ceasefire is achieved, and talks resume."

Extinguishing the fire

"We are trying to extinguish the fire before the flames grow larger, before the ring of fire spreads further, and before more lives are harmed and more blood is shed," Erdoğan stressed, articulating Türkiye's diplomatic approach to the widening regional conflict that has now claimed over 1,300 lives in Iran and caused widespread destruction in Israeli cities.

Criticism of Netanyahu

Slamming the Israeli administration's actions, Erdoğan said: "Even Israelis, spending nights in shelters, now say (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is their biggest disaster since the Holocaust." His remarks reflect growing international and domestic criticism of Israeli leadership as the conflict exacts a heavy toll on civilians, with over 2,500 Israelis hospitalized and thousands of buildings damaged since Iran's retaliatory campaign began.

Conflict context

The US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which have killed more than 1,300 people according to Iranian authorities, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and over 150 schoolgirls in a Minab school attack. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets, with approximately 3,200 projectiles launched and Gulf states repeatedly intercepting incoming threats.