Erdogan urges regional unity amid Iran war and Lebanon conflict

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for solidarity among Middle Eastern nations, stating that the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel primarily harms the region's people and economies.

Speaking at the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Extended Provincial Heads Meeting, Erdogan addressed the escalating regional conflicts that began with strikes on Iran on February 28. He warned against divisions that fuel further instability and strongly condemned Israel's military actions in Lebanon, Syria, and Jerusalem.

Economic toll and call for solidarity

According to a report by DW Türkçe, Erdogan highlighted the severe economic and infrastructural damage caused by the war. He questioned the logic of the conflict, emphasizing that the billions of dollars' worth of infrastructure destroyed by missiles and drones represent the resources of the region's people.

He emphasized that the perpetrators of these attacks do not differentiate between sects or ethnicities, whether the victims are Shiite, Sunni, Turkish, Kurdish, Arab, or Persian. Stressing the shared history and geography of these groups, the president called for long-term unity.

"After the dust cloud we are in disperses, we will again look at each other's faces as neighbors and brothers," Erdogan stated, adding that the heavy price of the war is being paid first by Muslims and ultimately by all of humanity.

Warnings over Lebanon and Syria

The Turkish president also strongly criticized Israel's ground operations in southern Lebanon, which have been justified by the ongoing fight against Hezbollah. He asserted that the Israeli government's ambitions extend beyond its current targets.

"The Netanyahu government is not only targeting our neighbor Iran, but it is also implementing its plans to occupy Lebanon step by step," Erdogan said.

He noted that since March 2, strikes by the Israeli military, which he described as an "occupying force," have resulted in the deaths of 1,100 Lebanese citizens and the displacement of over 1.16 million people. Furthermore, he accused Israel of persistently violating Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty through continuous aggressive actions.

Strong reaction to Al-Aqsa closure

Another major point of contention in Erdogan's speech was Israel's recent measures concerning the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. On February 28, coinciding with the start of the strikes on Iran, Israeli authorities closed the mosque and imposed a worship ban, citing public security.

"The Zionist massacre network has kept our first qibla, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, closed for 27 days. For the first time since 1967, Eid prayers could not be performed at the site."

Calling the ban an arrogant attack on the beliefs of two billion Muslims, Erdogan vowed that Turkey would continue to stand up for Jerusalem. He asserted that the right of Muslims to worship at Al-Aqsa cannot be usurped, hindered, or prohibited under any pretext.

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