Türkiye’s global and regional role is under the spotlight as its eastern neighbor, Iran, suffers from Israeli attacks and reciprocates them. Answering reporters’ questions after a Cabinet meeting on Monday in Ankara, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz pointed out the uncertainty in the conflict, which may have global repercussions. Yılmaz also underlined that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye embarked on an intense diplomatic activity and “valuable efforts for regional and global peace.”
Except for Israel, with which Türkiye does not have diplomatic relations, Ankara has been in touch with regional countries as well as the United States and Iran since Israel launched its first attacks in Tehran. Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan conveyed Türkiye’s concerns to leaders and expressed readiness to play a role in mediating the nuclear armament dispute between the West and Iran, a pretext for Israel’s attacks.
“It is difficult to predict how the situation would evolve and how long it will last. Our expectation is that the tensions would end as soon as possible and sides would return to the negotiating table, particularly on the nuclear issue,” he was quoted by the media on Tuesday.
Yılmaz reiterated Türkiye’s stance on Gaza amid the conflict and repeated Erdoğan’s earlier remarks about the necessity to keep focus on the humanitarian situation in Gaza amid the Iran-Israel conflict.
“The international community should concentrate on resolving the severe humanitarian tragedy in Gaza,” he stated.
“As this conflict continues, not only will the humanitarian toll rise, but environmental threats and economic costs will also increase. Prolonged fighting will lead to higher oil prices and disrupted trade routes, resulting in global consequences that extend far beyond the region. This creates a risk environment that affects not only Türkiye but the entire global economy.
“Our focus should be on resolving issues through diplomacy. As Türkiye, we continue to stand for peace, stability and justice,” he said.
“What truly deserves our focus is taking steps that lay the groundwork for negotiations, rather than actions that deepen the conflict. Türkiye will continue to make every constructive contribution necessary in this regard.”
On Monday, Türkiye joined 21 Arab and Muslim countries to issue a joint statement condemning Israel’s airstrikes on Iran. The statement called for regional de-escalation, nuclear disarmament “without selectivity” and respect for international law, according to media outlets. The statement was the result of an initiative by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty following consultations with his counterparts across the region.
The initiative includes Türkiye, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Bahrain, Brunei, Chad, Gambia, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Egypt and Mauritania.
The foreign ministers condemned Israel’s attacks on Iranian territory, calling them violations of international law and the United Nations Charter.
The joint statement emphasized the need to respect national sovereignty, territorial integrity and principles of good neighborliness and called for peaceful dispute resolution.
The ministers also expressed “deep concern” over the dangerous escalation, warning it could have serious consequences for regional security and stability.
They called for an immediate halt to Israeli hostilities against Iran and for comprehensive de-escalation efforts leading to a comprehensive cease-fire.
Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.
Israeli authorities said at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since then.
Iran said at least 224 people have been killed and over 1,000 others wounded in the Israeli assault.
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