Chicago – July 05, 2026
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged regional nations to support peace efforts in the Middle East, warning that Israel must not be allowed to “dynamite” the United States-Iran agreement. Speaking alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, Erdogan said lasting peace could only be achieved through the active participation and commitment of countries in the region.
He accused the Israeli government of attempting to undermine the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding and warned against actions that could reignite conflict. “The current war-addicted Israeli government must not be allowed to drown our geography in the smell of gunpowder and blood again,” Erdogan said. He also reiterated Turkey’s criticism of Israeli military operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
During the visit, Turkey and Pakistan pledged to deepen cooperation in energy, transport, information technology, critical minerals and defence, while reaffirming their goal of increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion.
