Photo: Collected

ISTANBUL, June 21, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on 
Saturday accused Israel of leading the Middle East towards "total disaster" 
by attacking Iran on June 13.

Iran and Israel have been at war for nine days after Israel, claiming the 
Islamic republic was on the brink of acquiring a nuclear weapon, launched a 
massive wave of strikes on its arch-rival, triggering an immediate response 
from Tehran.

"Israel is now leading the region to the brink of total disaster by attacking 
Iran, our neighbour," Fidan told a meeting of top diplomats of the 
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul.

"There is no Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian, Yemeni or Iranian problem but 
there is clearly an Israeli problem," he said.

He called for an end to the "unlimited aggression" against Iran.

"We must prevent the situation from deteriorating into a spiral of violence 
that would further jeopardise regional and global security," he added.

Speaking after Fidan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Western 
leaders of providing "unconditional support" to Israel.

A trenchant critic of Israel's actions in both Gaza and Iran, Erdogan called 
for "high-level peace talks" between Tehran and the United States, according 
to his office, adding that Turkey was ready to play a "facilitator" role to 
help bring an end to the war.

Tehran, however, has for the time being refused any return to the negotiating 
table with the United States on its nuclear programme for as long as Israel 
maintains its attacks on Iran.

Erdogan, who met Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of 
Saturday's meeting, said Turkey would not allow borders in the Middle East to 
be redrawn "in blood".

"It is vital for us to show more solidarity to end Israel's banditry -- not 
only in Palestine but also in Syria, in Lebanon and in Iran," he told the 
OIC's 57 member countries.

The OIC, founded in 1969, says its mission is to "safeguard and protect the 
interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace 
and harmony".

According to Qatar's foreign ministry, Araghchi also met the Gulf state's top 
diplomat in Istanbul, who said he was working to bring the sides "back to the 
path of dialogue".