Erdogan Says Israel Is the Main Driver of War in West Asia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with Al Jazeera published Sunday, 25 Mordad 1405 (August 16, 2026), that Israel has been the main driver and instigator of war in the West Asia region and has always favored the war option, adding that other regional countries have paid a heavy price as a result. According to EcoIran, citing Tasnim, Erdogan said on Gaza that Hamas has shown sincere solidarity while Israel has shown no positive approach and continues its attacks on Lebanon and Gaza.

Erdogan also discussed the mutual defense pact known as the Mecca agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, describing it as having a mechanism similar to Article 5 of the NATO treaty. According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, the Turkish president said elsewhere in the same interview that if any country sought war with Turkey, Ankara would not hesitate to fight and would not run from it; he also said EU membership is no longer Turkey's priority.