Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday that the intensifying war between Iran and Israel is rapidly approaching “the point of no return,” warning that its consequences could stretch far beyond the region.
“Unfortunately, the genocide in Gaza and the conflict with Iran are quickly reaching the point of no return. This madness must end as soon as possible,” Erdoğan said at an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) youth forum in İstanbul.
He urged restraint from all parties, calling for de-escalation before the war causes wider destruction.
“It is imperative that fingers are removed from the triggers and buttons before more destruction, bloodshed, civilian casualties and terrible disaster occur, all of which could affect our region as well as Europe and Asia for years to come,” he said.
His remarks came ahead of a special session of OIC foreign ministers due to convene in Istanbul this weekend. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to attend, with the Israel-Iran conflict set to dominate the agenda.
The war, now in its eighth day, began when Israel launched a wide-scale strike campaign on Iran, citing concerns that Tehran was nearing nuclear weapons capability. Iran responded with drones and missiles, further raising the risk of a broader regional conflict.
In a phone call earlier this week with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Erdoğan warned that the war could trigger a wave of migration and carries the risk of nuclear contamination.
“The spiral of violence triggered by Israel’s attacks could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration and the possibility of nuclear leakage,” he said.
Turkey has increased security along its eastern border in response to the conflict, though a defense ministry source said Thursday there had been “no increase” in irregular crossings from Iran. Turkish authorities have not released official figures.
AFP correspondents near the Kapıköy border crossing in the eastern province of Van observed routine activity, with a customs official saying the number of travelers was “nothing unusual.”
During a visit to the frontier on Wednesday, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said that “security measures at our borders have been increased.”