Erdogan blasts Israel for undermining peace initiatives to end Iran war

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday blasted Israel for undermining all efforts to halt the war in the Middle East, but said Ankara would continue to pursue any opportunity to advance a ceasefire.

"The Israeli government has continued to undermine all initiatives aimed at ending the war," Erdoğan said following a weekly cabinet meeting in the Turkish capital.

"If there is even the slightest chance to silence the weapons and open space for negotiations, we are making sincere efforts to seize it," he added.

"Our hope is that this unlawful, senseless, illegitimate, and extremely costly war for all humanity will come to an end as soon as possible."

Erdoğan also said Türkiye has stepped up diplomatic contacts to achieve a ceasefire.

"As the war drags on, we have warned that the fire could spread to other countries. As we leave behind the 38th day of the conflict, we unfortunately continue to carry the same concerns for our region," he said.

"In the face of increasing risks, I, as president, on one hand, and our ministers on the other, are accelerating our diplomatic contacts," he added.

He also said Israel "proves it feeds on tensions" by keeping Al-Aqsa Mosque closed, pursuing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, and escalating tensions in Lebanon and Syria.

Erdogan further stressed that recent developments in the region underline the importance of Türkiye's "Terror-free Türkiye" process, launched to strengthen internal unity and solidarity.

"At a time when attempts are being made to build walls between Turks, Kurds, Arabs, and Persians, we can neutralize these plots with our vision of a terror-free Türkiye and a terror-free region," he added.

Türkiye has attempted to mediate an end to the hostilities, notably through negotiations conducted with Pakistan and Egypt.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday met with the US ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who called the meeting "productive".

"Türkiye's partnership continues to be vital as we work toward @POTUS's (Trump's) vision for a more secure region," the ambassador said on X.

Fidan also spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart to discuss "the course of war and other developments", a Turkish diplomatic source said.