Erdogan Calls on Countries of Middle East to Act in Solidarity for Regional Peace

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday called for solidarity of the Middle Eastern countries to ensure peace in region during talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani in Istanbul, the office of the Turkish leader said.

Erdogan and Sudani also discussed bilateral and other regional and global issues, the directorate said.

“President Erdogan noted that the expanding Israeli aggression in our region is a threat to both regional and world peace, that the international community, the countries in the region in particular, should act in solidarity to prevent this from happening and ensure peace and calm, and that Turkiye will maintain its efforts for peace,” the Turkish Directorate of Communications said in a statement.

The Turkish president described Turkiye and Iraq as “neighboring countries with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties” and called for developing relations, particularly through the Development Road Project, it added.

Erdogan also welcomed the steps taken by Baghdad to fight against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) activities on its soil, the directorate said. The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkiye.

Israel has been conducting military operations in the Gaza Strip in response to the attack on its territory by Palestinian movement Hamas on October 7, 2023. Since October 1, Israel has also been conducting a ground operation against Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon while continuing airstrikes.