President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in a statement following the Cabinet Meeting, expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached between the US and Iran, saying, "We are very pleased with the agreement reached with our contributions, on behalf of our region and all humanity. We hope this agreement will fully open the way to establishing lasting peace and stability in our region."
Erdoğan highlighted that Turkey has followed a policy prioritizing diplomacy throughout the process. Key points from President Erdoğan's remarks after the Cabinet Meeting are as follows:
"My dear nation, esteemed members of the press, I greet you with my warmest feelings, respect, and affection. I also extend my greetings to all our citizens following us via television, radio channels, and social media platforms. We have just concluded the 66th meeting of our Cabinet.
In our meeting, we thoroughly evaluated preparations for the NATO summit to be held in Ankara on July 7-8, recent developments in foreign policy, the agreement reached in the Iran crisis and its implications for our region, and the latest developments in foreign trade. I hope the decisions taken at our Cabinet meeting will bring benefits to our country, nation, and state.
First of all, I want all our citizens to know this: As our world and region go through a historic period, our vision holds only one goal — a "Great Turkey." Our ideal is to unite the Turkish nation with its dreams. Our aim is to leave our nation’s mark on this era. On this path, where a strong, prosperous, respected, and victorious Turkey is the destination, we continue tirelessly and relentlessly.
Of course, on this journey, we sometimes face difficulties. We encounter obstacles and challenges, sometimes from within, sometimes from outside, with operations aimed at blocking our way or slowing our pace. But we persist in our struggle to serve our country and nation with determination, regardless of these challenges.
The Presidential Government System, which ended nearly two centuries of searching for a governance model, has become Turkey’s greatest advantage both on this journey and during this challenging period. Thanks to this system, which resolved the instability problem in governance — the country’s vulnerable spot — all state institutions now work in harmony and coordination, striving to carry Turkey into the future.
As seen in the recent conflicts affecting Iran and the Gulf region, Turkey manages even the toughest crises with great success. In the war that began on February 28, fueled by Israel’s provocations, a very important step was taken last night. It was announced that an agreement was reached to end the clashes between the US and Iran. Thus, our region, which has been on edge for months, has finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As you know, from the first day of attacks on Iran, Turkey has maintained a sensible, calm, and diplomacy-first stance. We did not fall for provocations. We upheld fairness. We did not allow our neighborly and brotherly relations to be damaged. We acted in cooperation with our allies and brothers in the Gulf. We were not among those who fuel the war but among those who raised the voice of peace.
We gave strong support, alongside Qatar and Saudi Arabia, to the mediation efforts led by our brotherly country Pakistan. "We firmly defended Turkey’s rights and justice."
At the same time, we did not remain indifferent to the insidious plots aimed at further dividing our region and building walls of blood between brotherly peoples. Sometimes we spoke with the language of Yunus, sometimes with the language of Yavuz. Sometimes we did a thousand things but spoke once. But every time, we firmly defended Turkey’s rights and justice.
Ultimately, in this crisis that brought our geography and the entire world to the brink of an abyss, thank God not a single one of our citizens was harmed. Plans to pit brother against brother failed. Attempts to ignite new fires of discord among Turks, Arabs, Kurds, and Persians ended in failure.
Of course, we will never forget the terrible destruction in our region, the tragedy of innocent children killed in school classrooms, and the blatant disregard for international law. But we believe that the chapter of this senseless war, which cost thousands of civilian lives including innocent children, has now closed.
We are very pleased with the agreement reached with our contributions, on behalf of our region and all humanity. We hope this agreement will fully open the way to establishing lasting peace and stability in our region. I sincerely congratulate everyone involved in reaching this important agreement, especially the American and Iranian leaderships, which has allowed our region and the world to breathe easier after months.
I also congratulate our Pakistani brothers who fulfilled their mediation role excellently, as well as our Qatari and Saudi brothers who supported the negotiations. I once again wish a speedy recovery to our brotherly countries that suffered damage despite not being parties to the conflict and were targeted by missiles and drones.
Of course, I must also state clearly here: Since February 28, it has been very clear who desires peace and who favors the continuation of war. Those who pin all their hopes on the continuation of gunfire in our region will, as we know very well, be uncomfortable with the strengthening of the peace climate. As they have done many times before, they will do their best to disrupt this process.
We see the statements made yesterday and today by the massacre network stained with the blood of innocent Palestinians and Lebanese as signs of this. Therefore, until the day the signatures are signed, it is necessary to avoid any rhetoric and actions that escalate tensions and to be extremely cautious against sabotage. Turkey will fulfill its responsibilities in this process as well.
I wish the agreement to be beneficial and pray that God protects our country and region from such tensions."
New assignments have been determined for 19,096 security personnel.
