President Erdoğan offers condolences to Saudi crown prince, urges diplomacy

2026-03-07 - 03:32

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a telephone conversation Saturday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, conveying condolences for attacks that have targeted the kingdom amid the widening regional conflict, Türkiye's Communications Directorate announced. The call focused on the escalating situation and ongoing developments across the Middle East. Commitment to Diplomacy Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye has been actively engaged in talks to ensure diplomacy remains viable despite the intensifying hostilities. He stressed the importance of resolving problems through dialogue and returning to negotiations as the path forward. The Turkish president's outreach reflects Ankara's sustained diplomatic effort to maintain communication channels with key regional actors as the US-Israeli offensive against Iran continues. Regional Context The conversation follows recent Iranian retaliatory strikes that have impacted Gulf countries hosting US military assets, including Saudi Arabia. Erdoğan's expression of solidarity with the kingdom underscores Türkiye's concern over the conflict's expanding geographic scope and its determination to advocate for peaceful resolution amid mounting casualties, which now exceed 1,000 including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials.