Newsletters
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that the international community's first priority must be preventing the current Middle East situation from turning into a spiral of violence that would further endanger regional and global security.
Speaking at the 51st Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, Fidan emphasized the critical need for immediate international intervention to halt escalating regional tensions.
"The international community's first priority should be to prevent the current situation from turning into a spiral of violence that would further endanger regional and global security," Fidan stated during the opening session at Istanbul Lutfi Kirdar International Congress and Exhibition Palace.
Fidan described conducting the meeting "unfortunately in the middle of a crisis line extending from Gaza to Iran, from Lebanon to Yemen," highlighting the interconnected nature of regional conflicts threatening stability across the Middle East.
The foreign minister noted that Israel, which continues genocide in Gaza and covers all occupied territories with blood, now attacks neighboring Iran, "dragging the region to the brink of total catastrophe."
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan strongly condemned Israeli attacks on Iran, particularly emphasizing their timing during ongoing nuclear program negotiations between Iran and international partners.
"These illegal attacks must be stopped immediately," he declared, warning that such actions could result in catastrophe for the region with implications extending to other areas.
"As Türkiye, we are ready to do our part," Fidan said, noting that all diplomatic steps taken under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership are supported, and diplomatic traffic continues.
He emphasized Türkiye's commitment to preventing the escalation of violence through continued diplomatic engagement and regional cooperation efforts.
Addressing the ongoing Gaza conflict, Fidan outlined priority objectives for ending the violence spiral.
"Permanent ceasefire, release of hostages and prisoners, and ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian access to Gaza is our priority. We strongly support ongoing negotiations for this purpose. I thank Qatar and Egypt once again for their efforts in this regard," he stated.
Fidan emphasized that the two-state solution remains the only viable path for achieving just and lasting peace in the region.
"It has become much clearer that the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories is the underlying cause of all conflicts in our region. The Palestinian cause and ownership of Jerusalem is the reason for the existence of the OIC," he said.
The foreign minister highlighted that international mechanisms, particularly the U.N. Security Council, face a functionality crisis that the ongoing brutality in Gaza has fully exposed.
He noted that multilateralism, the foundation of international cooperation, faces a legitimacy crisis where the system itself is being questioned, while increasing intolerance and identity-based polarization deepen global instability.
"We believe that OIC members need to act in unity against Israel's actions and show real solidarity with Iran," Fidan declared, calling for a coordinated regional response to prevent further violence escalation.
He stressed that Islamic countries, representing a quarter of the world's population, must take a leading role in preventing the violence spiral through collective action and diplomatic initiatives.
Beyond the immediate Gaza and Iran situations, Fidan addressed other regional tensions requiring international attention to prevent violence escalation.
Regarding Pakistan-India conflicts, he welcomed cease-fire decisions while noting that "as long as disputes in the region, particularly the Kashmir issue, remain unresolved, the potential for tension will persist."
For Sudan, he emphasized international support for peace efforts, stating, "As Turkiye, we strongly support all regional and international peace efforts to end this crisis."
2 min read
2 min read
