Türkiye seeks end to Iran war, return to diplomacy: VP Yılmaz

ANKARA

Türkiye wants the war involving Iran to end as soon as possible and is working to restore diplomacy, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said, warning that the conflict risks spreading across the region and adding to its human and economic cost.

Speaking on CNN Türk late on March 13, Yılmaz said Ankara’s position was clear. Türkiye, he said, opposed the attacks on Iran and also rejected any attacks targeting friendly neighboring countries.

“Türkiye’s stance on Iran is clear. We want this war to end as soon as possible. We want diplomacy to return,” Yılmaz said.

He said Türkiye had made strong efforts to prevent the conflict before it erupted, including mediation attempts, but those efforts did not produce a result.

Yılmaz also said the risk of the conflict spreading across the region was rising by the day. While he said he did not expect the war to drag on for a long period, he warned that such conflicts could easily widen and create longer-term instability.

He described the war as unsustainable, saying it was producing not only a heavy human toll but also environmental and economic damage.

On the economic fallout, Yılmaz said energy markets were particularly exposed. He pointed to the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz for global oil, liquefied natural gas and fertilizer shipments, warning that any serious disruption there would have consequences far beyond the region.

Yılmaz said Türkiye was unlikely to face an energy supply shortage thanks to its diversified sources, storage capacity and past investments. Still, he said, the country would inevitably feel the impact of higher prices.

“We will not face a supply problem, but we will be affected by prices,” he said.

He said the government had moved to limit the inflationary effect of rising fuel prices, adding that authorities had chosen to absorb 75 percent of the increase through fiscal measures rather than pass the full burden on to consumers.

Yılmaz said the conflict posed risks to both growth and inflation, and that the full impact would become clearer in September, when the Medium-Term Program is routinely revised.

He also said Turkish financial authorities, including the Capital Markets Board, the central bank and Borsa Istanbul, had taken proactive steps after the outbreak of the war. External shocks, he said, could affect the pace and cost of the government’s economic program, but not its overall direction.

Arguing that Türkiye had repeatedly shown resilience in times of crisis, Yılmaz said the country had solid macroeconomic foundations, a strong banking system and the capacity to act quickly in turbulent periods.

On the possibility of a U.S. ground operation, Yılmaz said he hoped it would not happen, arguing that such a move would prolong the war and deepen its costs. He said outside military interventions had historically produced instability rather than durable solutions, and added that any country’s change should come through its own people.

Separately, Yılmaz also said progress in the “Terror-Free Türkiye” process could unlock further economic potential in the country’s southeast and contribute to broader regional stability.