Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday that one of Türkiye’s top strategic goals is to ensure the continuation of the current agreement between Iran and Israel and to prevent any violation of the ceasefire that could threaten lasting peace in the region. EDnews reports, citing Anadolu.
Speaking after he met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the Turkish capital, Fidan said Ankara and London are two strategic partners sharing common objectives on several key issues.
“We are both NATO member countries, not part of the EU but maintaining strong ties with Europe,” he noted.
Fidan underlined the strong cooperation between the two countries in areas such as economy, defense, and technology, adding: “Our bilateral trade volume is steadily approaching the target of $30 billion.”
“This is a goal we’ve pursued with strong determination in recent years,” he stressed.
He added that both nations have made considerable efforts on this matter and highlighted that updating the existing Free Trade Agreement is essential to unlock further trade and investment opportunities.
The foreign minister highlighted the ongoing efforts in defense, saying: “Our cooperation in the defense industry is progressing remarkably well.”
“From Eurofighter procurement to other joint projects, our companies and institutions are working efficiently,” he said.
He further noted that the two countries’ foreign policy perspectives align on many global matters, including the war in Gaza, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, adding that both sides support a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
Israel-Iran issue
Speaking again about the Israel-Iran conflict, the Turkish foreign minister stated: "Ensuring that the agreement between Iran and Israel is upheld, that the ceasefire is not violated, and that this leads to a lasting peace is currently one of our most important strategic goals."
“On the other hand, it’s also crucial for us to see an end to the tragedy in Gaza through a ceasefire and a solution based on the two-state formula,” he pointed out.
Fidan also thanked Lammy for the UK’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria.
"They also agreed to visit Syria soon. This is an important area of cooperation for us," he said, adding that stability and security in Syria will benefit not only the region but the entire global community.
“We will continue our collaboration in this area,” he concluded.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also received Lammy at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
No further details were shared with the media about the closed-door meeting.
A conflict between Israel and Iran erupted on June 13, when Tel Aviv launched airstrikes on Iranian military, nuclear, and civilian sites.
The US also bombed Iran’s Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities in an escalation of the conflict.
Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Israel, killing at least 29 people and wounding more than 3,400, according to figures released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The conflict came to a halt under a US-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24.
