Steps towards peace need to be taken against 'Israel's aggression': Turkish president

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - It is "important" to take steps that serve peace against "Israel's aggression that threatens" regional security, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.

Erdogan and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian held a closed-door meeting at the Turkish House on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss bilateral relations, Israel's attacks on Palestine and Lebanon, and well as regional and global developments.

The international community must raise its voice more on the basis of international law, diplomacy, and human rights "to end the violence that Israel is committing in the Palestinian and Lebanese territories as soon as possible," Erdogan told Pezeshkian, according to Türkiye's Commuications Directorate.

"Türkiye is enhancing its efforts to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in the Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, where Israeli massacres are taking place," he added.

On the historical and cultural ties between Türkiye and Iran, Erdogan voiced his belief that bilateral relations will be developed and bolstered in every field.

It was the first face-to-face meeting between Erdogan and Pezeshkian since he was elected Iran's new president in July after his predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, was killed in a helicopter crash in May, later blamed on climatic conditions.