Turkey Warns Israel Not to Derail US-Iran Peace Deal

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has stated that peace efforts in the Middle East will not succeed without regional support. He warned Israel not to disrupt the peace agreement between the United States and Iran. Erdogan issued the warning to Israel during talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul. ‘No solution can be long-lasting if it is not based on the will and contribution of the countries in this region,’ Erdogan said. Turkey, a NATO member and neighbour of Iran, has repeatedly accused Israel of attempting to derail the US-Iran deal mediated by Pakistan. Turkey has also condemned Israeli operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. ‘We are closely monitoring the Israeli government’s attempts to sabotage the deal… The current Israeli government, which is addicted to war, must not be allowed to once again envelop our region with the smell of gunpowder and blood,’ he stated. Erdogan also said that Turkey is seeking to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in the fields of energy, transport, strategic minerals, information technology, and defence, while pursuing a bilateral trade target of 5 billion US dollars. Earlier, officials from both countries attended a business forum in Istanbul. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Turkish companies want to contribute to various projects in Pakistan and share Turkey’s expertise in the energy sector, as Pakistan undergoes a transformation of its electricity sector.