President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on June 15 urged international actors to help preserve the newly announced agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, warning that Israel could seek to undermine the process.
“The U.S.-Iran agreement is a very important step in the war that began with Israel’s plots and provocations on February 28,” Erdoğan said after a cabinet meeting in Ankara. “Our region, which has been on edge for months, has breathed a sigh of relief.”
The president accused Israel of opposing efforts to restore stability, arguing that actors benefiting from prolonged conflict would attempt to obstruct the emerging diplomatic process.
“Those who pin all their hopes on the continued sound of gunfire in our region will, we know very well, be disturbed by the strengthening of the climate of peace. As they have done many times before, they will do everything in their power to obstruct this process,” Erdoğan said.
“Until the agreement becomes official, it is of great importance that all parties refrain from statements and actions that will increase tension.”
Erdoğan defended Türkiye’s approach throughout the conflict, describing Ankara’s policy since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began as “prudent, calm and diplomacy-first.”
“We did not fall for provocations, we did not abandon fairness, and we did not allow our bonds of neighborliness and brotherhood to be damaged,” he said.
The president said Türkiye coordinated with its allies and Gulf partners and emphasized that Ankara supported diplomatic initiatives rather than military escalation.
He said Türkiye, alongside Qatar and Saudi Arabia, provided strong backing for mediation efforts carried out through Pakistan.
“Türkiye was not among those pouring gasoline on the fire of war, but among those raising the voice of peace,” Erdoğan said.
He also said Ankara resisted efforts aimed at deepening regional divisions and rejected attempts to sow tensions among ethnic and regional communities.
“No Turkish citizen was harmed in the crisis,” he said, adding that efforts to “ignite new flames of discord among Turks, Arabs, Kurds and Persians” had failed.
He said Türkiye would not forget the humanitarian toll of the conflict, including civilian casualties and what he described as violations of international law.
“We believe that this meaningless chapter of war, which has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, including innocent children, is now closed,” Erdoğan said.
Later in the day, Erdoğan held a phone call with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss regional and global developments.
According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, Erdoğan told Guterres that Ankara would continue efforts to support peace and stability, particularly in Iran, Gaza and the Horn of Africa.
During the call, Erdoğan said the diplomatic opening between Washington and Tehran should be used effectively and stressed that the international community has responsibilities to prevent the process from being sabotaged.
