President Erdogan urges diplomacy in call with Saudi, Kuwaiti leaders as Iran tensions escalate
Turkish President holds calls with Saudi and Kuwaiti leaders, stressing dialogue and de-escalation as US-Israel strikes on Iran spark regional instability.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held separate phone calls with Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to discuss rising tensions in the Gulf and the wider Middle East following recent attacks.
According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate on Sunday, Erdogan expressed his well-wishes after recent strikes targeting Saudi Arabia and warned that failure to halt the escalation could lead to “very serious consequences” for both regional and global security.
The call comes as Iran has been launching missile and drone attacks on US military installations across several Middle Eastern countries, saying the strikes are aimed at bases used to stage operations against it.
The retaliatory attacks have targeted multiple Gulf states and heightened fears of a broader regional war.
The phone call with the Emir of Kuwait focused on the recent attacks targeting Kuwait, with Erdogan expressing sorrow and conveying his condolences to the Emir and the Kuwaiti people, emphasizing solidarity in the face of violence.
“Diplomacy remains the most rational path”
The escalation follows major joint US-Israeli strikes inside Iran that hit military and strategic sites and reportedly killed senior figures, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian state media and international reporting.
Against that backdrop, Erdogan emphasised that Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have invested significant effort in promoting dialogue, adding that diplomacy remains the most rational path to prevent a wider conflict.
Ankara has repeatedly positioned itself as advocating de-escalation, warning that unchecked military escalation risks destabilising not only the Middle East but global security as well.