President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on June 19 that Türkiye has emerged as a central diplomatic actor in regional conflicts and international negotiations, pointing to recent developments involving Iran.
“Türkiye’s brand value will increase, and it will be seen as a center of attraction in its region. It will be confirmed that it is one of the key players in global diplomacy,” Erdoğan said at an event in Istanbul.
He was referring to major gatherings scheduled to take place in the country this year, including an upcoming NATO summit, pledging that Türkiye’s growing role would be reinforced through these events.
Erdoğan’s comments came in response to criticism from opposition figures over the government’s handling of foreign affairs.
“Foreign policy is not show business. It is a field of expertise requiring experience, knowledge and resilience. We have never played to the galleries, neither domestically nor internationally. On the contrary, we have always strived to win hearts,” he said.
“While you were fighting amongst yourselves, we fought to quell conflicts in our region through subtle diplomacy. While you were digging each other’s graves, we painstakingly removed obstacles on the path to peace.”
The president also highlighted Türkiye’s role in regional mediation efforts and referred to a newly signed agreement between Iran and the United States aimed at ending the Middle East war.
“Türkiye is not a side dish in regional crises, but a key player in efforts to resolve them, as seen most recently in the Iran conflict,” Erdoğan said.
His remarks came as renewed violence threatened regional stability. Deadly exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon on June 19 added uncertainty to diplomatic efforts after planned talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland were postponed.
