Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls for an end to the Iran conflict, pledging to intensify diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire.
ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for an end to the “bloodbath” in the Middle East, vowing to help broker a ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran.
“We are on the side of peace,” Erdogan told members of his AKP party in Ankara on Monday. “We want an end to the bloodbath, for the tears to stop flowing and that our region finally reach the lasting peace it has cried out for for years.”
He made the remarks at a fast-breaking meal for observant Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. “We want neither conflict nor war with our neighbours during this holy month of Ramadan,” the president added.
Erdogan insisted that the US-Israeli strikes on Saturday, which sparked the war and triggered retaliation from Tehran, were “illegal”. He maintains good relations with US President Donald Trump despite frequently criticising American ally Israel.
“We will intensify our contacts at all levels until a ceasefire is concluded and tranquillity is restored to our region,” he said. Erdogan added that he was “grieving at the sight of the suffering of the civilians and innocent children” in Iran hit by the conflict.
The Turkish leader, a key regional player, had previously expressed his sadness at the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei was killed in Saturday’s strikes along with much of the Islamic republic’s leadership.
Turkey, a majority Sunni-Muslim nation and NATO member, shares a 500-kilometre border with Iran. While Iran has retaliated by aiming drones and missiles at Israel, Iraq, Jordan and the Gulf states, Turkey has so far been spared Tehran’s wrath.
