Türkiye warns against regional escalation after Iran's retaliatory attack on Israel

ISTANBUL

Türkiye warned on Sunday against a possible regional war after Iran's overnight airborne attack on Israel, in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on its diplomatic facility in the Syrian capital that killed several military commanders.

"We have been reminding all our counterparts of our warnings for a long time that Israel's war in Gaza carries the risk of spreading and escalating," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Israel's attack on Iran's Embassy in Damascus, which was against international law, has justified our concerns. Iran's retaliation for this attack and subsequent developments have once again shown that events can quickly turn into a regional war," the ministry added.

Saying that Turkish officials have held talks with their Iranian and US counterparts to call for moderation, the ministry said Türkiye is "clearly conveying our messages to Iranian officials and Western countries that have influence on Israel, calling for an end to the escalation."

"We will continue our efforts to prevent a process that will permanently damage the stability of our region and cause greater conflicts at the global level," the ministry said, adding that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is "regularly informed" on the latest developments.