Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed unwavering confidence in Iran’s eventual triumph amidst escalating tensions with Israel, characterizing the Netanyahu government as the paramount threat to regional peace and stability.
Speaking at an emergency summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on Saturday, Erdogan drew a parallel between Israel’s current actions and those of Nazi Germany under Hitler. He cautioned that Tel Aviv’s policies are pushing the region—and the world—towards widespread conflict.
“We are confident that victory will be on Iran’s side,” Erdogan asserted, adding that “just as the spark ignited by Hitler 90 years ago set the world ablaze, Netanyahu’s Zionist ambitions serve no purpose other than dragging the world into disaster.”
The Turkish leader delivered a strong condemnation of the recent Israeli strikes on Iranian soil, labeling them a blatant violation of international law. “Iran has the full right to defend itself,” he stated, affirming Türkiye’s solidarity with Tehran. “We have no doubt that, with the solidarity it has shown and its deep-rooted state tradition, the Iranian people will overcome these difficult days.”
Erdogan further lambasted Israel’s protracted military campaign in Gaza, which is now in its 21st month. He accused Israeli forces of systematically targeting civilians, including children, and weaponizing hunger. “Two million of our brothers and sisters in Gaza have been trying to survive under conditions worse than even the Nazi concentration camps,” he declared.
He alleged that Israel is deliberately working to expand the scope of the conflict to the broader region. “Israel wants to set the entire region on fire,” Erdogan warned. “The Israeli Prime Minister’s government is the biggest obstacle to peace and stability in the region.”
He also highlighted Israeli operations in the West Bank, noting that the “market of atrocities has heated up there as well.” He criticized the international community’s inaction, urging world powers and Muslim nations alike to take urgent steps to contain the violence. “I appeal to the international community to stop Israel so that the conflict does not spread further.”
In a broader regional context, Erdogan vowed that Türkiye would not permit a “new Sykes-Picot order” to emerge in the Middle East, referencing the colonial-era agreement that partitioned the region among European powers. “We will not permit a new map to be drawn in blood,” he proclaimed.
He also emphasized the critical need for unity among Muslim countries, suggesting that Istanbul and Tehran shared a “common destiny” and that the Islamic world must function as a united and independent center of power.
“We are on the threshold of an era in which the Islamic world will play a much greater global role. But first, we must resolve our internal disputes. If we do not claim our issues with unity and will, we only serve others’ interests.”
