Kurtulmus calls for Islamic world reform, welcomes US-Iran progress

Numan Kurtulmus, speaker of Türkiye's Grand National Assembly, told the 20th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Baku on Wednesday that the Islamic world requires an "A-to-Z reform process" to address contemporary challenges while preserving its core values. "I would like to underline that political, institutional and intellectual reforms are among the most fundamental issues facing Islamic countries," he said during the opening session of the two-day summit.

He argued that reform should not mean abandoning Islamic values but rather reconnecting with them and adapting them to modern realities. Kurtulmus noted that the emerging global order presents significant opportunities for the Islamic world, citing its population of more than 2 billion people, 57 member states, vast natural resources and significant economic potential.

US-Iran negotiations

Kurtulmus welcomed what he described as positive developments in ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran held in Switzerland. "We appreciate that the negotiations between the US and Iran have reached a positive point," he said, adding: "We hope this agreement will be respected, the talks will continue positively until the end, and the war imposed on Iran will be permanently ended, paving the way for a genuine atmosphere of peace."

He noted that diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran could reshape regional security dynamics and reduce tensions that have affected global energy markets. The talks in Switzerland represent the most significant bilateral engagement between the two capitals in recent months.

Regional stability efforts

The parliament speaker also stressed the importance of ending Israeli attacks in Lebanon, stating: "Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese and Palestine belongs to the Palestinians." He further called for greater unity among Muslim countries, saying sectarian and ethnic differences should be viewed as a source of richness rather than conflict.

Kurtulmus voiced support for ongoing peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, expressing hope that they would lead to a lasting settlement and contribute to long-term stability in the South Caucasus region. He emphasized that differences among Muslim nations should not serve as pretexts for division in a period of shifting global alliances.