Unlawful strikes against Iran pushing region to brink of wider war: Turkish foreign minister

ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that the “unlawful strikes” against Iran are pushing the region toward the brink of a wider war, fueled by "relentless Israeli escalation."

Speaking at the opening of the second day of the International Strategic Communication Summit (STRATCOM) 2026 in Istanbul, Fidan said: "We reject any scenario that drags regional states into a devastating conflict," adding: "Iranian actions affecting Gulf nations carry precisely this risk. Let us be clear. This may be Israel's war of choice, but the entire world is paying the price."

Fidan stated that as the conflict prolongs, the geopolitical and economic complications multiply at an alarming rate. "From day one, Türkiye has grown against this dangerous trajectory."

He added: "This is a war engineered for Netanyahu's political survival, yet its burden unfortunately falls upon the rest of the world," the foreign minister said, warning that the crisis could leave enduring scars not only in cities but also in the hearts and minds of the peoples of the region.

"There is only one viable way out for us. That is the escalation and diplomacy," Fidan emphasized.

Regarding Israel’s latest aggression in Lebanon, he said: "We (Türkiye) declared our strong opposition to Israel's expansionist policies, particularly its latest aggression against Lebanon. To operationalize these efforts, we continue our constant high-level dialogue. Our objective is to chart out actionable steps to end this conflict as soon as possible."

"This senseless war must end. Before further destruction unfolds, before deeper enmities take root, before the global economy suffers irreversible damage. The channels of dialogue must be open, and a result-oriented negotiation process must commence swiftly," Fidan further added.

Fidan warned that while pursuing peace, Türkiye’s leadership must not let Netanyahu’s extreme stance derail diplomacy, highlighting that “this engineered chaos” aims to keep the regional nations "weak, divided, and vulnerable."

'We are living through a systemic rupture'

Fidan said this year’s theme, "Disruption in the International System: Crises, Narratives, and Search for Order," is more relevant than ever, adding: “We are not simply living through a period of instability, we are living through a systemic rupture."

He added that this reflects a deeper disruption, in which the international system loses its moral compass, coherence, and legitimacy, leaving crises unchecked and raising the defining question: Does the system still hold authority and credibility?

Fidan said that those who “comfortably benefited from the unjust system are facing a reality as the crises finally touch their own shores.” He emphasized that “these are not academic debates.”

He said that common sense is needed most during the darkest hours and that Türkiye "will continue to mobilize every diplomatic instrument” to address crises.

The minister said that “in today’s world, the battlefield is not only physical, it is also informational,” explaining that narratives are “weaponized to shape perception, frame reality, and too often obscure the truth itself,” a phenomenon evident in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

He said that "this strategy of systemic destabilization must be stopped," and warned that humanity is confronted with a mindset that targets humanitarian workers, mediators, diplomats, and embassies.

"That impunity alone exposes how severe the structural erosion of the global order has truly become," the minister emphasized.

He said that global governance is no longer functional or sustainable, adding that calls by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for institutional reform were not a political slogan, but a “diagnosis.”

Fidan emphasized that we should reject the notion that violence is unavoidable and instability is normal.

He added that the latest war has already galvanized "a new wave of intra-regional solidarity."

"We need to break this vicious cycle with a common vision and joint endeavor. And we are going to achieve it through regional ownership," the minister said.