Erdoğan: Türkiye fully committed to diplomacy to halt Israel’s aggression

On June 18, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye will do everything possible to promote diplomacy and stop Israel’s military actions, warning of wider regional repercussions amid rising Iran-Israel tensions.

Speaking at the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan said, “We are doing everything we can to stop (Israel's) inhumane aggression against Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and our neighbour Iran,” Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

He added: “We are closely following Israel's terrorist attacks against Iran. All our institutions are on alert regarding the possible effects of these attacks on Türkiye.”

Erdoğan described Iran’s right to defend itself as “natural, legitimate and lawful” in the face of what he called Israel’s “banditry and state terrorism.”

He criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he “has long surpassed Hitler” and expressed hope that “their fates will not be the same.”

On 13 June, Israel launched a series of large-scale strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities across multiple cities, as well as senior military command centres. Iranian media reported on June 18 that the death toll from these air raids in Tehran and other populated areas has reached 585, with at least 1,326 injured since the attacks began last week.

In response, Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel, reportedly killing 24 people and injuring over 500.

The international community, including Türkiye, has condemned Israel’s actions.

Erdoğan emphasised the need for national unity in light of growing global tensions and conflicts, referring to the recent “terror-free Türkiye” initiative.

This initiative, launched by Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a government ally, called last year for Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK, to urge the group to disarm.

Following this, lawmakers from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) visited Öcalan at the island prison in the Marmara Sea where he is held.

In a landmark move, the PKK announced last month its dissolution and the end of its four-decade-long campaign of terror, which has cost tens of thousands of lives in Türkiye, Iraq, and Syria.

By Aghakazim Guliyev