President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told U.S. President Donald Trump that Turkiye views nuclear negotiations as the only viable path to resolving the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. In a phone call, Erdogan expressed support for the U.S. position that talks with Tehran must continue and reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to preventing an uncontrollable regional escalation, reads a Daily Sabah post.
According to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, the two leaders discussed the growing Israel-Iran tensions alongside broader regional and international concerns.
“Turkiye is closely monitoring the tension between Iran and Israel,” Erdogan said, emphasizing that “negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program are the only way” to defuse the situation.
President Trump, for his part, called on Iran to return to the negotiating table before it’s too late. However, hopes for diplomatic progress dimmed as the sixth round of indirect U.S.-Iran talks in Muscat, scheduled for Sunday, was canceled.
Erdoğan also issued strong warnings during separate calls with regional leaders. Speaking with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, he accused Israel of attempting to "drag the entire region into the fire." He conveyed a similar message to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stating that “our region cannot afford another crisis” and that war could lead to a fresh wave of irregular migration.
Türkiye, which already hosts millions of Syrian refugees and Iranian dissidents, is deeply concerned about the potential humanitarian fallout.
“Israel must be stopped,” Erdogan told the Saudi crown prince, calling it “the main threat to stability and security in the region.” He reiterated that the nuclear dispute “can only be resolved through negotiations.”
He also criticized the international community’s failure to act on Israel’s behavior, saying, “The fact that the world has turned a blind eye to the occupation and genocide in Palestine has emboldened Israel’s lawlessness and aggression.”
Erdogan held additional calls with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to coordinate diplomatic responses. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later confirmed via X, formerly Twitter, that he also spoke with Erdoğan. Sharif condemned “Israel’s unprovoked aggression against Iran” as “a blatant violation of international law.”
Tensions escalated dramatically on Friday when Israel launched an unprecedented missile strike inside Iran, reportedly killing 78 people, including high-ranking army officers and nuclear scientists. In retaliation, Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel, resulting in three deaths and over 70 injuries.
As the region teeters on the brink, Erdogan continues to advocate diplomacy over destruction, calling for immediate efforts to halt further escalation.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
