Turkish parliament speaker calls for reform across Islamic world, welcomes progress in US-Iran talks

Turkish Parliament speaker on Wednesday called for comprehensive reform across the Islamic world and welcomed progress in negotiations between the US and Iran.

During the 20th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Baku, Numan Kurtulmus said the Islamic world needs an “A-to-Z reform process,” stressing that reform should not mean abandoning Islamic values but rather reconnecting with them and adapting them to contemporary realities.

“I would like to underline that political, institutional and intellectual reforms are among the most fundamental issues facing Islamic countries,” he said.

He argued that the emerging global order presents significant opportunities for the Islamic world, citing its population of more than 2 billion people, 57 member states, natural resources and economic potential.

The official further called for greater unity and cooperation among Muslim countries, saying sectarian, ethnic and political differences should be viewed as a source of richness rather than conflict.

On regional issues, he welcomed what he described as positive developments in US-Iran negotiations held in Switzerland.

“We appreciate that the negotiations between the US and Iran have reached a positive point,” he said, adding: “We hope this agreement will be respected, the talks will continue positively until the end, and the war imposed on Iran will be permanently ended, paving the way for a genuine atmosphere of peace.”

He also stressed the importance of ending Israeli attacks in Lebanon, saying: “Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese and Palestine belongs to the Palestinians.”

Kurtulmus further voiced support for ongoing peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, expressing hope that they would lead to a lasting settlement and contribute to long-term stability in the South Caucasus.