Erdoğan: Türkiye stands with peace, not war, in Iran crisis

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a clear message Wednesday regarding Türkiye's position on the ongoing Iran crisis, emphasizing that Ankara consistently chooses peace over conflict. Speaking at an iftar event in the capital Ankara, Erdoğan stated that Türkiye "stands for diplomacy, not conflict. It stands with peace and stability, not chaos and turmoil. It seeks rapprochement, not hostility."

Intensive ceasefire efforts underway

Erdoğan detailed the country's active diplomatic engagement, revealing that Ankara is making "intensive efforts to ensure guns fall silent, a ceasefire is achieved, and talks resume." The president stressed the urgency of these efforts, saying "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." His remarks underscore Türkiye's concern that the conflict could expand dangerously beyond its current parameters.

Türkiye rejects profiting from others' suffering

The president emphasized that Ankara cannot view others' suffering as an opportunity for gain, stating the country "would not seek to benefit from others' harm." He articulated a vision of regional peace, declaring "We want the tears in our region to stop, the conflicts to end, and peace and calm to prevail." The statement distinguishes Türkiye's approach from those who might exploit regional instability for strategic advantage.

Criticism of Israeli leadership

Erdoğan also directed sharp criticism at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming that "even Israelis, spending nights in shelters, now say Netanyahu is their biggest disaster since the Holocaust." The remarks come as the US-Israeli joint strikes on Iran, launched Feb. 28, have killed more than 1,300 people including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as over 150 schoolgirls. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, expanding the conflict's geographic scope and raising the stakes for regional powers like Türkiye.