President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 11 voiced cautious optimism that the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran could still be halted through diplomacy, warning that the escalating conflict risks dragging the wider region and global economy into deeper turmoil.
"Despite the possibility of resolving the issues at the table, our region has once again been covered in the smell of blood and gunpowder as a result of miscalculations, misjudgments, and of course, the provocations of a bloodthirsty network," Erdoğan said during a weekly address in parliament.
The U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran began on Feb. 28, killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top security officials and prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East targeting American assets.
"Not only the countries directly involved in the war but the entire world is already preparing to pay the price of these conflicts. We all see that if this senseless, lawless and unjust war continues, there will be more loss of life and property, and the cost to the global economy will increase even further," Erdoğan said.
"Of course, we haven't lost hope for a ceasefire. This war must be stopped before it escalates and completely engulfs the region in flames. If diplomacy is given a chance, this is certainly achievable. We are patiently continuing our efforts to return to the negotiating table and engage diplomacy again."
Despite the escalation, Türkiye has so far avoided direct strikes, even though U.S. troops are stationed at several bases in the country.
"We are acting with extreme caution to keep Türkiye on course and protect it from the fire surrounding it. Similarly, we are taking the necessary precautions against the bloody scenarios that are being attempted in our region, primarily sectarian conflict," Erdoğan said.
"We are well aware of the true intentions behind the systematically conducted campaigns by anti-Türkiye lobbies. With God's permission, we will absolutely not fall into this trap and this game. We will not abandon common sense and composure."
Two ballistic missiles launched from Iran on March 4 and March 9 were intercepted by NATO air defense systems. NATO has decided to deploy Patriot air defense systems in the eastern province of Malatya, where the strategically important Kürecik radar station is located.
“As Türkiye, we are not a country that remains indifferent to the crises around us, that turns its back on its friends and brothers in times of crisis... On the contrary, we are a state, a government, that takes risks, takes responsibility and puts its hand in the fire when necessary to solve crises," Erdoğan said.
"Indeed, we have been striving for years to prevent the tension from turning into conflict and to ensure that the issue is resolved through negotiation. Since the day the conflicts began, we have established contacts with both Iran, the United States and the relevant regional countries."
Meanwhile, Erdoğan told his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a phone call that the Iran conflict should not hinder negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and broader regional issues during the call, according to a statement by Türkiye’s Communications Directorate issued on March 10.
Erdoğan said negotiations should continue “without delay” to support efforts toward ending the war.
