Türkiye 'on side of peace,' Erdoğan says on Iran crisis

ISTANBUL

Ankara's stance regarding Iran is "clear," said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, adding Türkiye is always on the side of peace, not war.

Noting the country's efforts for a ceasefire in Iran, Erdoğan said that Ankara is making "intensive efforts to ensure guns fall silent, a ceasefire is achieved, and talks resume."

“We are trying to extinguish the fire before the flames grow larger, before the ring of fire spreads further, and before more lives are harmed and more blood is shed," he stressed.

Slamming the Israeli administration's actions, Erdoğan said: "Even Israelis, spending nights in shelters, now say (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is their biggest disaster since the Holocaust."

The US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which have killed more than 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as over 150 schoolgirls.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets.