ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asserted that Israel is inching closer to provoking a regional war each day that a ceasefire remains elusive. The statement was made during a 3+3 Regional Cooperation Platform meeting in Istanbul, where Erdogan emphasized the importance of resolving regional issues through dialogue.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Erdogan hosted foreign ministers from the Caucasus countries and Iran, reiterating Turkey’s commitment to the 3+3 platform. He criticized Israel for seeking provocations that could escalate regional conflicts and proposed that a United Nations arms embargo on Israel would effectively halt its aggressive actions. Erdogan assured that Turkey would persistently call for an end to Israeli aggression on all platforms.

Erdogan also highlighted Turkey’s ongoing support for peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia, underscoring the need for stronger regional cooperation. The Istanbul meeting was attended by prominent officials, including Tu
rkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Fahrettin Altun, Head of the Communications Department of the Turkish Presidency.