Türkiye condemns and rejects the attacks on the civilian infrastructure and the population in Iran, and stands with Qatar and will continue to do so, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday.
“We condemn and reject attacks that disregard civilian lives and target civilian infrastructure,” Fidan said during a joint press conference with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
He stressed that Qatar was targeted by an attack while carrying out full mediation efforts, and added: Such attacks can never be justified under any circumstances. Türkiye stands by brotherly Qatar and will continue to do so.”
“They were subjected to an attack they did not deserve, and this attack is still ongoing. First of all, I would like to convey the Turkish people’s and our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s wishes for a speedy recovery to our Qatari brothers,” Fidan noted.
He emphasized that the ongoing war threatens the security of all brotherly countries in the region and deeply undermines stability, adding that they traveled to Riyadh on Wednesday at the invitation of Saudi Arabia and strongly reaffirmed full solidarity with the countries targeted by the attacks.
Recalling that this was the first meeting in this format since the start of the war, Fidan said the talks in Riyadh resulted in agreement on making joint efforts to immediately halt the attacks, establish a ceasefire, prevent the spread of the conflict, and resolve the crisis through diplomatic means.
“The party responsible for plunging our region into an unprecedented crisis is, as you know, Israel,” Fidan said.
He stressed that the attacks, triggered by Israeli provocations during a period of ongoing diplomatic negotiations and expanding in scope, not only risk turning the region into a vast battlefield but also undermine global stability.
The minister also underlined that, in this highly sensitive context, it is necessary to clearly remind Iran of its “historic responsibility.”
Stressing that “under no circumstances” can Iran’s attacks on regional countries be justified, Fidan said such actions undermine the foundations of regional stability and serve neither Iran nor other countries in the region.
Just as attacks against Iran are wrong, Iran’s attacks on regional countries without justification are equally wrong, Fidan stressed, noting: “We clearly and consistently convey to our Iranian counterparts at every level of contact that these attacks and escalation, which could cause irreparable and lasting fractures among regional countries, must be stopped immediately.”
"Likewise, we stress that actions threatening navigation and maritime security must be avoided,” he added.
Fidan underlined that Türkiye’s stance on the crisis is clear, reiterating that Israel must not be allowed to exploit the regional conflict to legitimize its crimes and occupation policies.
He also said Türkiye and Qatar agree on the necessity of keeping dialogue channels open to establish peace and addressing the concerns of all parties through negotiations.
Ankara-Doha ties continue to strengthen across all areas in the spirit of strategic partnership, Fidan stressed, adding the two countries have consistently demonstrated strong solidarity in overcoming challenges and will maintain this stance with the same determination.
“We are in agreement to further advance our relations, particularly through new and concrete steps in the defense industry,” he said.
Tragedy in Gaza remains
“We also underline that the war must not distract the international community from Palestine and the tragedy in Gaza. Israel is taking advantage of the chaos to recklessly continue violating the ceasefire. The situation on the ground remains grave,” Fidan said.
He noted that nearly 700 Palestinians have been killed since a ceasefire was reached, adding that negative developments continue to emerge daily from the West Bank.
“We strongly condemn Israel’s actions in East Jerusalem, particularly restrictions on access to holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and attempts to alter the historical status quo,” he said.
He also stressed that Israel has begun implementing in Lebanon the same occupation and destruction policies it has carried out in Gaza.
“The international community must assume responsibility against Israel’s opportunistic policies based on faits accomplis and put a stop to its expansionism,” Fidan said.
"The only key to real and sustainable security in the region is the establishment of a just and honorable peace with the Palestinian people," he underlined.
‘We are seeking ways to stop war before it worsens further’
Fidan stressed that Türkiye is doing its utmost to halt the attacks, adding: “Led by our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we are sincerely seeking ways to stop the war before it evolves into a much worse situation.”
"Our president has undertaken initiatives in this direction. Together with my brother (Qatari counterpart Al Thani), we have also made joint efforts. Unfortunately, the (Iran) war could not be prevented,” he added.
He noted that Türkiye remains in contact with both the US and Iran, trying to understand their positions and exploring ways to prevent further escalation.
“We have intensive exchanges of views, particularly with Qatar, as well as with other partners making efforts within this framework,” he said.
Emphasizing that nearly the entire world wants the attacks to stop, Fidan said there is a significant consensus on this issue, similar to the recognition of the State of Palestine.
He added that in talks with Iran, Türkiye seeks to ensure the conflict does not spread: “There is nothing that justifies Iran attacking regional countries simply because it is being struck. This deepens divisions, expands the war, and worsens the crisis.
“We continue to offer the most sincere and friendly advice to Iran as a responsible state -- for both its own interests and those of the region,” Fidan said.
Meeting hosted by Riyadh
Fidan said the meeting in Riyadh, hosted by Saudi Arabia, focused on a single agenda item: “We attended upon Saudi Arabia’s invitation. Twelve countries were present. All regional countries directly or indirectly affected by the war were around the table,” Fidan said.
He said the sole agenda was “how to stop Iran’s attacks on the region and what measures should be taken,” adding: "Countries directly and heavily exposed to these attacks sought advice from brotherly countries like us."
Noting that the meeting was lengthy, Fidan said participants emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Listening to our counterparts, the simultaneous launch of hundreds of drones and missiles and the disruption of normal life are pushing these states to take lasting measures,” he said.
Fidan also noted that he had spoken over the phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi before the meeting: “There was such a dialogue: ‘You are calling us now while missiles are coming from above. Missiles have just hit Riyadh. At least refrain from sending missiles to Riyadh during the meeting.’
"They, of course, want their diplomatic positions to be considered in certain settings. We listened to them and gave the necessary responses. We do not find the attacks against them justified, but neither do we find their attacks on regional countries justified. One wrong should not lead to another," Fidan stressed.
He added that Iran should not choose the path of escalating the conflict, adding that Türkiye’s efforts on this issue will continue.
Fidan is on a tour to the Middle East countries to discuss the ongoing war in the region.
The tour came amid rapidly intensifying regional instability since the joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran started on Feb. 28, along with Tehran’s subsequent retaliatory strikes across multiple countries in the region.
