Türkiye's Erdogan Says Trust in EU Shaken by Its Stance on Israel-Hamas War

In this handout photograph taken and released by Kazakhstan's Presidential Press Service on November 3, 2023, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the 10th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, in Astana. (Photo by Handout / Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Service / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken and released by Kazakhstan's Presidential Press Service on November 3, 2023, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the 10th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, in Astana. (Photo by Handout / Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Service / AFP)
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Türkiye's Erdogan Says Trust in EU Shaken by Its Stance on Israel-Hamas War

In this handout photograph taken and released by Kazakhstan's Presidential Press Service on November 3, 2023, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the 10th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, in Astana. (Photo by Handout / Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Service / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken and released by Kazakhstan's Presidential Press Service on November 3, 2023, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the 10th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, in Astana. (Photo by Handout / Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Service / AFP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the European Union (EU) had not taken a fair stance on the Israel-Hamas war and the situation in Gaza and as a result trust in the bloc had been "deeply shaken", broadcaster Haberturk and others reported on Saturday.

The support shown by European countries for Israel stemmed from "their debts" over the Holocaust, Erdogan added in comments to reporters on a return flight from Kazakhstan on Friday.

Erdogan revealed that his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi would visit Türkiye at the end of November to hold talks on Gaza, and that he would also attend a summit of Muslim countries in Riyadh later this month.

He stated there would no longer be any trust in the global system if Israel was not stopped and held accountable for "its war crimes and human rights violations".

He also said the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) would push for a ceasefire and discuss the parameters of such a move during its summit in Riyadh later this month.

Gaza must be part of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state once the Israel-Hamas war is over, Erdogan added, saying Ankara would not support models "gradually erasing Palestinians from history".

He said his intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin was in contact with Israeli and Palestinian authorities, as well as Hamas.

He stressed he would not take Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a counterpart, but added Ankara would not sever its ties with Israel either.



Ghalibaf: Any Attack on Iran Will Ignite the Entire Region

Iranians display cartoon models representing the US president and the Israeli prime minister during a march in Tehran on March 28, 2025 (AFP).
Iranians display cartoon models representing the US president and the Israeli prime minister during a march in Tehran on March 28, 2025 (AFP).
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Ghalibaf: Any Attack on Iran Will Ignite the Entire Region

Iranians display cartoon models representing the US president and the Israeli prime minister during a march in Tehran on March 28, 2025 (AFP).
Iranians display cartoon models representing the US president and the Israeli prime minister during a march in Tehran on March 28, 2025 (AFP).

Iran has warned that any US attack on its territory could lead to the explosion of the entire Middle East, hinting at potential strikes on American bases in the region.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated on Friday: “If the United States carries out its military threat against Iran due to the failure to reach a new nuclear agreement, its bases in the region will not be safe.” He added: “Any attack on Iran will mean the explosion of the entire region,” according to Tasnim, a news agency affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran claimed that it had exercised “restraint and balance” in its response to a message from US President Donald Trump while reaffirming its rejection of military threats and its willingness for indirect talks with Washington.
Iranian state television quoted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying that Iran had sent its response to Trump’s message through Oman. He reiterated that Iran’s policy is to avoid direct negotiations with the US while it continues its “maximum pressure” campaign and military threats. However, Araghchi noted that Iran “may engage in indirect negotiations with the US, as it has done in the past.”
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, described Iran’s response to Trump’s message as “measured,” stating that it included “a willingness for indirect dialogue.” Shamkhani, who oversees Iran’s nuclear negotiations, explained that the country’s specialized agencies had carefully crafted the response, ensuring that Iran’s stance was conveyed clearly while maintaining diplomatic restraint.
“Iran has always conducted indirect talks with the Americans, and if such talks are based on mutual respect, we are open to taking further steps toward negotiation,” Shamkhani said.
He added: “We take every threat seriously—not out of surrender, but to confront it. The Iranian people have never and will never accept submission. We are confident that the United States has no choice but to adopt a fair approach in any dialogue with Iran.”
Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, another senior adviser to Khamenei, expressed optimism about the current diplomatic path between Tehran and Washington, according to Iran’s IRNA news agency.
“We will reach a conclusion, and we are optimistic. The agreement must be acceptable to both parties, not just one,” Larijani stated.
Commenting on US threats of military action against Iran, Larijani remarked: “Those who intend to act do not talk too much.”
Ghalibaf also criticized Trump’s message, stating that it did not contain “any logical discussion about lifting sanctions,” according to Tasnim.