President Erdoğan Demands Immediate Diplomacy to Stop Iran–U.S. Escalation That Could Devastate Region

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has demanded an urgent return to diplomacy to halt the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States, warning that the war risks causing widespread damage across the region and the global economy and urging negotiations over military confrontation.

“The Turkish leader warned that continued escalation in the Middle East could deepen regional instability while urging negotiations over military confrontation President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for an urgent return to diplomacy to halt the escalating conflict involving Iran and the U”

Daily Sabah

Erdoğan said Ankara has intensified diplomatic contacts with countries involved in the conflict and other regional actors, stressing that "this war must be stopped before it escalates further" and that "if diplomacy is given a chance, it is possible to achieve this.”

Daily Sabah

Erdoğan described active, high-level outreach: he said Turkey "has established contacts with Iran, the U.S. and other relevant countries in the region" and that he personally "held more than 20 phone calls" as part of Ankara’s intensified diplomatic initiative to revive negotiations and prevent further escalation.

He framed these contacts as part of a patient effort to bring parties back to the negotiating table rather than military confrontation.

Hürriyet Daily News

Ankara is simultaneously projecting caution on the security front: Erdoğan emphasized that "we are taking the necessary precautions against bloody scenarios" and that Turkey is "acting with extreme caution to keep Turkey on course and protect it from the fire surrounding it."

“Erdoğan Says Diplomacy Can Still Stop Iran War Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 11 voiced cautious optimism that the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran could still be halted through diplomacy, warning that the escalating conflict risks dragging the wider region and global economy into deeper turmoil”

Kıbrıs Postası

NATO air-defence measures have already played a role on Turkish soil — two ballistic missiles launched from Iran on March 4 and March 9 were intercepted by NATO systems, and NATO decided to deploy Patriot batteries to eastern Malatya near the Kürecik radar station.

Erdoğan warned the conflict’s origins and consequences include miscalculations and provocations that have already "covered" the region "in the smell of blood and gunpowder," and he said the wider world is "already preparing to pay the price of these conflicts" if the war continues, with further loss of life, property and negative impacts on the global economy.

He framed the escalation as driven by miscalculations and provocative actors and urged that continued fighting would raise humanitarian and economic costs.

Daily Sabah

Erdoğan also referenced the immediate triggers and retaliatory cycle in the region’s violence when describing the crisis: one source reported that "The U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran began on Feb. 28, killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top security officials and prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East targeting American assets," which Erdoğan used to underline the urgency of diplomatic intervention and a ceasefire.

“President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 11 voiced cautious optimism that the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran could still be halted through diplomacy, warning that the escalating conflict risks dragging the wider region and global economy into deeper turmoil”

Hürriyet Daily News

He reiterated that Turkey will not be drawn into sectarian traps, and said Ankara continues to ‘‘intensify diplomatic contacts’’ while holding out hope for negotiations and a ceasefire.

Hürriyet Daily News