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| Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel could lead to a surge in migration, posing a serious threat to both Europe and regional stability.
Speaking during a phone call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday, Erdoğan cautioned that the ongoing hostilities, sparked by Israel's recent airstrikes, could have far-reaching consequences beyond the Middle East.
“The spiral of violence triggered by Israel’s attacks could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration and the possibility of nuclear leakage,” Erdoğan said, according to a statement from his office.
The Turkish president emphasized that the only viable solution to nuclear tensions with Iran lies in diplomacy. “Negotiations, not escalation, are the key to resolving the nuclear issue,” he stressed, while also warning that the conflict had elevated the threat to regional security to an “unprecedented level.”
Last week, Israel launched a series of large-scale airstrikes against Iranian targets, citing intelligence that Tehran was nearing the development of a nuclear weapon. Iran responded swiftly with retaliatory action, sparking fears of a wider regional war.
Despite the tensions, a Turkish defense ministry official stated on Thursday that there has been “no increase” in migration flows from Iran into Turkey. However, authorities have not released any official data.
AFP correspondents stationed at the Kapikoy border crossing near the eastern Turkish city of Van observed several hundred individuals crossing in both directions. A local customs official described the flow as “nothing unusual.”
During a visit to the region on Wednesday, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler assured reporters that security measures along the border have been tightened in anticipation of any potential fallout from the conflict.
