Breaking news! President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “I underline again that the war must be ended as soon as possible before it spreads further in our region. Contrary to those who place the export of conflict, chaos, crisis and instability at the center of their foreign policies, we are determined to establish a climate of peace and prosperity in this geography, to fight for it, and to walk this path to the end.” he said.

Erdoğan attended the 17th Traditional Ambassadors Iftar Program held at the AK Party Congress Center.

Wishing that Ramadan, the sultan of 11 months, will bring peace, tranquility and well-being to Muslims and all humanity, Erdoğan said, “I sincerely hope that these holy days will lead to peace in all geographies longing for peace, especially our Palestinian brothers, and to make deserted and barren hearts bloom with clouds of mercy.” he said.

Emphasizing that this is a period when the deep messages of Ramadan are needed more and calls for peace and solidarity should be listened to the most, Erdoğan continued his words as follows:

“While we are having our iftar at this table of friendship and brotherhood, extremely grave events are taking place in our region and in the world. Despite the agreement signed on October 10 in Gaza, the humanitarian tragedy on the field still continues. While there are problems in the entry of humanitarian aid, Israel continues to terrorize the people of Gaza with its systematic attacks. In the last 5 months alone, more than 640 Gazans were martyred in Israeli attacks. Nearly 2 thousand innocent people were injured. Last month’s landfall As in the decision regarding the registration, the West Bank has also received its share from the Israeli government’s occupation and occupation policy. More than 1,120 Palestinians have been murdered and nearly 12 thousand Palestinians have been injured in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7, 2023. In the West Bank, which is under heavy pressure, Israel continues to increase the attention of the international community from Gaza to other places. “The Netanyahu administration has once again shown that it does not want peace and is not in favor of a solution with the illegal and expansionist policies it has implemented since the declaration signed on October 10.”

Erdoğan stated that Türkiye stands by the brotherly Palestinian people today, as it did yesterday, and emphasized that Türkiye will continue to provide all its material and moral support to the oppressed people of Gaza.

“WE DO NOT ACCEPT THE MIDDLE EAST BEING PUT ON THE OPERATING TABLE AGAIN”

Reminding that attacks on Iran were added to the developments in the region as of February 28, Erdoğan said, “Almost 1,500 Iranians, including more than 300 innocent children, have lost their lives so far in the attacks that lasted 10 days. In parallel with the missile and drone attacks originating from Iran, tension escalated and in a short time reached levels that threatened the stability of the entire region.” he said.

Erdoğan pointed out that due to mutual retaliation, both the loss of life, the destruction and the economic cost of the crisis increased asymmetrically and said:

“It is a fact that, unfortunately, the situation will get worse as the war drags on. Not only the conflicting parties, but also the whole world, including Europe and Asia, will pay the price for embarking on new adventures. In the last half century, we have witnessed many times what foreign interventions and geopolitical engineering initiatives have caused in the Middle East, and what a huge political, social and economic wreckage they have left behind. As Turkey, we do not want our region to experience the same pain again. The geography of the Middle East will be subjected to surgery again, just like a century ago.” “We do not accept that he should be taken away or put back on the operating table. I would like to underline this here: Türkiye’s foreign policy is not only interest-oriented, but also value-oriented. We believe that there will be no losers in a just peace wherever it is.”

“NECESSARY WARNINGS HAVE BEEN TRANSMITTED VERY CLEARLY TO THE IRAN SIDE”

Reminding that they advocate ending the Russia-Ukraine War, which has entered its 5th year, with a just and sustainable peace agreement, President Erdoğan said:

“Today, with the same understanding, we have clearly stated our stance from the first day. We stated that the air strikes violated Iran’s sovereignty, were against international law, and were regretted by us. At the same time, we clearly stated that we never approved Iran’s attacks targeting sister countries, especially Azerbaijan and the Gulf countries, that this was wrong, and would serve no purpose other than exacerbating common pain and sowing the seeds of hostility between brothers.”

Stating that the ballistic elements coming towards Türkiye last week and today were neutralized in a timely manner and the necessary warnings were clearly conveyed to the Iranian side, Erdoğan continued as follows:

“Again, during this process, we made intense efforts to reduce the tension, stop the bloodshed, and open the door to dialogue. We still maintain our principled and diplomacy-prioritizing attitude. No matter how disappointing the view before us is, we are not hopeless. We believe that an honorable solution can be found to every problem that threatens regional stability, our future and future generations. A new negotiation process is possible. In fact, it should be.

Today, with your help, I underline once again that the war must be ended as soon as possible before it spreads further in our region. Contrary to those who place the export of conflict, chaos, crisis and instability at the center of their foreign policies, we are determined to establish a climate of peace and prosperity in this geography, to fight for it and to walk this path to the end. Dear friends, of course, we need the contribution, support and constructive role of everyone, especially the countries of the region, in this struggle. That’s why we highlight the concept of regional ownership in solving problems with great sensitivity.”

Regarding global food security, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “We are carrying out an active policy to solve this problem in close coordination with United Nations organizations, especially the Food and Agriculture Organization.” he said.

Stating that they want to expand the positive agenda with mutual respect, equality and win-win understanding extending from the South Caucasus to the Aegean, from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Balkans, from Africa to Latin America, Erdoğan said that they have built multi-modal corridors between Europe and Asia, from Marmaray to the Eurasia Tunnel, from Baku-Tbilisi-Kars to Mersin port, thanks to the huge investments they have made in infrastructure.

Reminding that they have implemented mega projects such as Osmangazi Bridge, Istanbul Airport, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, Erdoğan said that they have revived the modern Silk Road with its Asian and European connections.

Pointing out that the East-West mid-Caspian corridor, which passes through Türkiye, first to the Caucasus, then over the Caspian Sea, through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and then reaches Beijing, is the main backbone of the Silk Road, Erdoğan emphasized that the Development Road Project, whose strategic importance is better understood these days, is a complement of these initiatives.

Erdoğan underlined that they will have the opportunity to connect a wider geography in the coming period, thanks to the Development Road Project, which will be implemented with the support of other countries in the region.

Reminding that Türkiye has successfully overcome many challenges in the past quarter century, Erdoğan said:

“We have endured many trials with flying colors, from the disaster of the 6th century to bloody terrorist acts, from coup attempts to attempts to overthrow the government through street incidents. Finally, on 27 December, we managed to deliver more than 455 thousand disaster residences, workplaces and village houses that we built in our earthquake zone to our citizens. It is possible to come across the same success stories in a wide range of areas, from economy to trade, from tourism to the defense industry. We went through a lot of difficulties and sweated a lot. From places we never expected, “We have encountered unexpected obstacles, but we have never deviated from our goals. Undoubtedly, the indestructible will of our beloved nation, who has supported us for the last 23 years, stood by us in every election we have participated in, and entrusted us with trust in our government, has been decisive in this. We continue on our way with the strength we receive from our nation.”

“WE WILL HOST EXCEPTIONAL SUMMITS”

Stating that Türkiye is strengthening its position as an island of stability in its region and a center of attraction in the adjacent geography day by day, Erdoğan emphasized that the strong capacity they have built in the defense industry in the last 23 years serves as an unshakable pillar that guarantees not only national security but also the security of Europe and sister countries.

Stating that he believes that the NATO Summit that Türkiye will host in July in such a critical period will strengthen peace and stability, Erdoğan said, “In addition to the NATO Summit, 2026 will be a year in which we will host exceptional summits for Turkish diplomacy. We will hold the Summit of the Organization of Turkish States in our country. We will also organize the COP31 Summit in Türkiye, where vital decisions will be taken in the fight against the climate crisis.” he said.

Noting that today they clearly observe that humanity’s unsustainable production and consumption habits are dragging the world into an environmental disaster, Erdoğan said that the “Zero Waste” movement they initiated under the leadership of his wife Emine Erdoğan inspired a transformation process adopted on a global scale.

Erdoğan stated that another leg of this approach is food security, which is one of the most severe global challenges of the age, and continued his words as follows:

“As I have expressed many times over the years, we have a culture steeped in the belief that ‘the one who sleeps full while his neighbor is hungry is not one of us.’ We are carrying out an active policy to solve this problem in close coordination with the United Nations organizations, especially the Food and Agriculture Organization. As a result of our strong commitment to global food security, we have decided to nominate Mr. Mehdi Eker for the position of Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization. In the elections to be held in July 2027 “We expect the valuable support of the friendly and allied countries you represent.”