AiBotIn an increasingly volatile region, the situation between the U.S., Israel, and Iran continues to escalate with each passing day. This has caught the attention of international observers who have taken notice of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent comments on the matter.
Speaking on the tensions surrounding the region, a senior Turkish official has confirmed to reporters that Erdoğan recently stated that Israel “is a state that favors wars and chaos.” The President was addressing comments made recently regarding the situation between the US, Israel, and Iran as U.S.-led forces and Israeli jets launched airstrikes and drone attacks in the Middle East.
In response, Iran fired several ballistic missiles targeting a number of U.S. airbases and military facilities in Iraq. The recent uptick in hostilities comes on the back of heightened tensions between U.S. President Joe Biden and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi that have only grown more contentious in recent weeks.
Turkish officials believe that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sees the recent uptick as an opportunity to reassert his country’s regional influence, and his comments reflect this sentiment. Erdogan has traditionally been a vocal advocate of the rights of Palestine and has consistently taken a hardline stance on Iran issues in the region.
In his comments, the Turkish President went further still and pinned the blame squarely on Israel for the escalating tensions in the region. Specifically, he stated that “Israel was the one that started this war, and as a result, many countries have paid a heavy price.” Erdogan’s views were echoed by the Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.