ANKARA – President Tayyip Erdogan warned Wednesday that the escalating war in Iran risks engulfing the entire Middle East in flames, urging an immediate pause to empower diplomacy before catastrophe spreads.
NATO defenses last week downed two Iranian missiles targeting southern Turkish bases hosting alliance and U.S. air and radar operations, prompting reinforced protections in the area. Addressing parliament, Erdogan declared, “This conflict must end now, before it balloons and drags the whole region into inferno. Diplomacy, if pursued earnestly, offers a real path forward.”
Navigating a tense era, he stressed Turkey’s measured rhetoric and vigilant stance to shield the nation from encroaching flames, with Ankara actively engaging all parties to broker peace. Turkey had proposed mediation prior to the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran 12 days ago; Erdogan has since championed talks while vowing retaliation against any security threats.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party leader Ozgur Ozel, in a Wednesday Reuters interview, accused Erdogan of tiptoeing around U.S. President Donald Trump’s role to preserve their warm rapport, a reticence that only encourages Trump’s aggression. “Ankara’s timid hush on Trump’s moves and reluctance to decry that excessive force isn’t true neutrality,” Ozel charged, noting Washington’s disregard for Turkish concerns amid the strife.
Erdogan has condemned actions by the U.S., Israel, and Iran alike, labeling the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes a blatant breach of global norms. Yet, mirroring other leaders, he skipped naming Trump directly. The Turkish leader’s strong personal bond with Trump has notably thawed U.S.-Turkey frictions over the past year.