Erdogan: We Are Not Talking About War, but Turkey Will Not Allow Itself to Be Attacked
Turkish President Says Ankara Wants Peace, but Accuses Israel of Being the Main Driver of Regional Conflict
Turkish President Says Ankara Wants Peace, but Accuses Israel of Being the Main Driver of Regional Conflict
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on August 16, 2026, that his country does not want war with Israel, but will not hesitate to defend itself if attacked. Erdogan emphasized that Turkey is talking about peace, not war, as reported by Abu Ali Express.
"We are not talking about war; we are talking about peace. But if someone attacks Turkey with the intention of war, not peace, Turkey will not hesitate to fight in that war and will not run away from it. I say this with complete clarity and sincerity," Erdogan said, as cited by Clash Report.
Erdogan's statement comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, and the Turkish president has particularly singled out Israel in his addresses, which he considers the main actor in the regional conflict.
In the second part of his remarks, Erdogan spoke about the war in Iran, making it clear that Turkey is not in favor of war in those areas. "Of course, we are absolutely not in favor of war in these regions. We are for peace. But Israel is the main instigator of this war; it is the main actor in this war," the Turkish president said.
He added that Israel has continuously fueled the war and has always favored the option of war, which, as he said, has caused other countries to pay an extremely high price.
A commentator on the Abu Ali Express platform reacted to the Turkish president's statements, ironically noting that "peace" by Erdogan's method is equivalent to starting a war.
Erdogan's statements were published on the same day across multiple channels, including Clash Report and Abu Ali Express.
