Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that geopolitical tensions are rapidly escalating across the Middle East, driven by what he described as Israel’s widening military campaign beyond Gaza.

“We clearly see that the geopolitical risks, which began with a genocide in Gaza, have grown with Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Syria,” Erdogan said during an address in Istanbul on Friday.

Framing regional turmoil as a threat to stability and security, Erdogan stressed the need for Türkiye to act decisively.

“As new schemes unfold in our region, it is a necessity of state wisdom for Türkiye to take determined steps to disrupt these plots,” he said.

Türkiye’s role as key regional peace actor

Erdogan also underlined Türkiye’s growing role in diplomacy, saying, “Türkiye is becoming a sought-after actor at peace tables,” as Ankara continues to position itself as a key mediator amid shifting alliances and intensifying conflict.

He emphasised his government’s foreign policy approach as one centred on “human life and dignity” while rejecting both silence in the face of injustice and reckless adventurism.

“We are pursuing a policy that centres on human life and dignity, aiming to keep our country away from tensions,” Erdogan said. “We neither remain silent in the face of oppression nor chase reckless adventures. We take the most appropriate steps for the oppressed who look to our country with hope.”

Speaking at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, Erdogan cited Türkiye’s consistent involvement in conflict zones where diplomacy and humanitarian action were needed.

“We did this in Syria for ten years. We’ve done this since the first day of the Russia–Ukraine war. From Libya to Karabakh—wherever we were needed, we did it,” he said.