Seyit Şamil Kurt
18 June 2026•Update: 18 June 2026
Türkiye's National Security Council on Thursday welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and the United States and stressed the importance of safeguarding the diplomatic process.
The council met in Ankara under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a statement issued by the Turkish Communications Directorate on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
The statement said council expressed satisfaction with the agreement and emphasized that efforts should be made to prevent any disruption to the process.
It added that Türkiye would continue to actively contribute to initiatives aimed at securing lasting peace and stability in the region.
The council also discussed developments in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Lebanon, saying Israel's "aggressive actions," including ceasefire violations in Gaza, "settler terrorism" in the West Bank, attacks targeting the status of East Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, and actions threatening Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, were undermining efforts to achieve regional peace and stability.
It called on the international community to adopt a principled stance against what it described as Israel's continued disregard for humanitarian values and international law.
On Cyprus, the council said Türkiye, as a guarantor power, has both the capability and determination to take all necessary measures under international law to protect the security, peace and welfare of Turkish Cypriots.
It added that no fait accompli would be allowed that could undermine the rights and interests of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus or harm stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The council also reviewed the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and called on those responsible for the escalation of the conflict and its spread to the Black Sea and neighboring regions to take steps toward a just and lasting peace.
