Erdoğan: Israel’s ‘war addicted’ government must not be allowed to plunge region into bloodshed again

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday that Israel‘s “war-addicted” government must not be allowed to plunge the region into bloodshed again.

“It is necessary not to allow the current war-addicted Israeli government to once again drown our geography in the smell of gunpowder and blood,” President Erdoğan told a joint news conference in Istanbul with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after bilateral and delegation-level talks.

Erdoğan said that Middle East peace efforts could not succeed without regional backing ⁠and that Israel ⁠must not be allowed to “dynamite” the U.S.-Iran peace deal.

Speaking alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, ⁠Erdoğan said: “No solution that does not take strength from the will and contributions of regional countries can be lasting. We are closely following the Israeli administration’s attempts to dynamite the (U.S.-Iran) deal.”

The Turkish president said the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues.

“We have especially supported, and continue to support, every step that will contribute to reducing tensions in our region and resolving problems through diplomacy,” he said.

Erdogan said Türkiye will continue working in solidarity with “brotherly countries,” particularly Pakistan, to strengthen peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

He said Türkiye wants a climate in which all people in the region, regardless of their faith, can live in peace and security.

On bilateral ties, Erdoğan said Ankara wants to deepen cooperation with Islamabad in energy, transportation, critical minerals and information technologies.