Erdogan: Iran’s nuclear issue must be resolved through diplomacy; Israel’s actions amount to genocide

Tehran - BORNA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his address to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday night, called for a diplomatic resolution to Iran’s nuclear file and strongly condemned Israel’s atrocities in Gaza, describing them as genocide.

Israeli Attack on Qatar

Erdogan also denounced Israel’s recent strike on Doha, Qatar, aimed at targeting senior Hamas leaders. “Israel is now attacking countries in the region, and the strike on Qatar proves that Israeli leadership is out of control. As a result, all regional countries are exposed to reckless Israeli threats,” he said.

Warning that Western values are being eroded by Israel’s aggression, Erdogan added: “Israel’s madness fuels anti-Semitism across the world. We must establish a ceasefire in Gaza and hold those responsible for genocide accountable under international law. Anyone who remains silent in the face of Israeli aggression is complicit.”

Reaffirming his country’s position, the Turkish president declared, “We stand firmly with the oppressed Palestinians, and I thank all people around the world who defend Gaza.”

UNGA remarks

According to TRT Haber, Erdogan opened his UN speech by expressing regret at the absence of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, at a time when Palestine is gaining broader international recognition. “The world is witnessing dangerous events that have cast a dark shadow over the UN Charter,” he said.

He underlined, “What is happening in Gaza is genocide, and it has continued for over 700 days.”

Erdogan detailed the catastrophic situation in Gaza, noting: “More than 20,000 children have been killed in the Strip. Palestinians are dying not only from weapons but also from starvation. No rationale can justify Israel’s brutality in Gaza. It displaces residents from one end of the Strip to the other, targets hospitals, and deprives the enclave of medicine.”

He continued, “We cannot remain silent. Children’s limbs are being amputated without anesthesia. What is happening in Gaza represents one of humanity’s darkest moments. This ongoing genocide is broadcast live. Israel has deliberately killed 250 journalists, yet still cannot conceal the truth of what is happening.”

UN’s failure

Erdogan criticized the UN for its inability to protect its own staff in Gaza, calling it a matter of deep regret.

He further stressed that the devastation in Gaza extends beyond humans. “Animals are being killed, farmland destroyed, and the land itself rendered uninhabitable for humans, animals, or plants. What is happening in Gaza is genocide, not a war on terrorism. Under the pretext of eliminating Hamas, Israel is also massacring innocent civilians in the West Bank.”

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