One thing Donald Trump said to Erdogan tonight should worry Israel
The presidents of Turkey and the United States spoke tonight. Erdogan returned to attacking Israel, while Donald Trump provided support for a move that raises particular concerns on the Israeli side.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke tonight (between Monday and Tuesday) by phone with US President Donald Trump and urged him to exhaust diplomatic channels with Tehran in order to bring about "a de-escalation of the growing tension." This was stated in an official announcement by the Turkish Presidency's Directorate of Communications and reported by the Reuters news agency.
During the conversation, Erdogan claimed that Ankara hopes for the continuation of political contacts and offered to provide his country's full support for mediation and peace efforts. Turkey, which holds the second-largest army in NATO and shares a land border with Iran, maintains ongoing contacts with Washington and Tehran, alongside other mediating countries in the region such as Qatar and Pakistan.
The leaders' conversation took place against the backdrop of a sharp escalation in relations, following the announcement by senior officials in Tehran of a transition to an offensive military format after talks to end the fighting reached a dead end and because Washington refused to extend the temporary ceasefire. At the same time, efforts to ensure freedom of navigation and renew the movement of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz are also stuck, an issue that was raised earlier in a conversation between the foreign ministers of Turkey and Iran.
US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Turkey, against Iran (Photo: DRM news)
Beyond the Iranian issue, Erdogan presented to his American counterpart the tripartite defense agreement recently signed in Mecca between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. The Turkish President noted that the agreement illustrates a firm stance for maintaining stability and security in the Middle East, a move that, according to the report, received praise from Trump.
The Palestinian issue and the war in the Gaza Strip also took a central part in the conversation. According to the Turkish report, Erdogan harshly criticized Israel and claimed that there is an increase in its military actions against the Palestinians, and this at a time when the second phase of the American peace plan was supposed to be implemented. Erdogan emphasized that Ankara will continue to support steps for the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip and the pursuit of a stable and sustainable settlement. The White House did not provide an immediate response to the content of the remarks.
