Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asserted that achieving lasting peace in the Middle East requires direct support from regional countries. He accused Israel of attempting to undermine efforts to solidify understandings between the United States and Iran.
During a joint press conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, Erdogan emphasized that any solution lacking the will and contribution of regional countries "will not be permanent." He noted that Ankara is closely monitoring what he described as Israeli government's attempts to sabotage the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.
The Turkish president further stated that his country rejects any actions that could push the region back into a cycle of escalation, affirming continued coordination with allied countries, particularly Pakistan, to enhance regional security and stability.
Erdogan also mentioned that discussions with Sharif covered areas of bilateral cooperation, especially in energy, transportation, mining, information technology, and defense industries, with an aim to increase trade volume between the two nations to $5 billion.
For his part, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts and maintain international peace and security. He indicated that the two countries agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, defense, energy, and technology, strengthening the strategic partnership between Islamabad and Ankara.