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Türkiye has issued an urgent call for all parties to cease hostilities following a wave of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory attacks.
On Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan engaged in high-level “phone diplomacy,” speaking with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and several other regional leaders to find an immediate path to de-escalation.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry warned that the current spiral of violence, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes early Saturday, risks not only the future of the Middle East but also global stability.
Ankara labelled the escalation “unacceptable” and urged an immediate return to dialogue.
The ministry specifically expressed concern over civilian casualties, particularly following reports of a deadly missile strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran.
Border security remains a top priority for Ankara, as Türkiye shares a 500-kilometre border with the Islamic Republic.
Officials expressed fears that a prolonged conflict could trigger a massive influx of refugees, adding to the tens of thousands of Iranians already residing in the country.
To manage the immediate crisis, the Turkish Embassy in Tehran advised its citizens to stay in secure areas, avoid military zones, and postpone non-essential travel to the region.
In addition to his call with Araghchi, Fidan coordinated with top diplomats from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Indonesia to explore multilateral steps to end the attacks.
The Turkish government also took the step of explicitly denying social media claims that its airspace or territory was used for the strikes, reiterating its neutral stance and firm commitment to regional sovereignty.
