Erdoğan's notable comments on US-Iran tension: He didn't say 'US' again

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who met with citizens as part of the “Host Turkey - Ankara 31 thousand 73 Housing Lottery Ceremony” held in Ankara, touched upon hot topics on the agenda in his speech.

Erdoğan began his remarks by wishing mercy upon teacher Fatma Nur Çelik, who lost her life as a result of a knife attack at a high school in Istanbul's Çekmeköy district. Conveying his condolences to those attending the event and the entire education community, the President stated, "There can be no justification, no excuse for violence against our teachers whose hands are worthy of being kissed."

In his statement at the opening ceremony, Erdoğan noted that both judicial and administrative investigations have been launched regarding the incident, saying, “This incident, which has plunged us all into sorrow as a nation, will be pursued with determination, and whatever is necessary will be done to ensure the perpetrator receives the punishment they deserve. I also wish a speedy recovery to our teacher and student who were injured in the same attack. May the Almighty grant our teacher Fatma Nur a place in heaven, God willing.”

TOUCHED UPON HIGH TENSION IN THE REGION

Emphasizing that Muslims have been going through difficult times in many regions from Gaza to the West Bank recently, Erdoğan stated that Israel is deliberately blocking humanitarian aid and violating the ceasefire in the region. Touching upon the civilian casualties in Gaza, the President also drew attention to the ongoing humanitarian crises across the region.

Bringing up the increasing missile and UAV attacks against Gulf countries, Erdoğan pointed out that the environment of stability in the region is being increasingly shaken. Drawing attention to the fact that measures have been increased in Turkey following the recent air operation conducted by the US and Israel against Iran, Erdoğan said, “While these events are taking place in every corner of our geography, as Turkey, we continue our efforts focused on peace, tranquility, and stability with determination. We have taken and are taking all necessary precautions to keep our country and our nation away from these dangers.”

Touching upon the active diplomacy traffic being conducted, Erdoğan emphasized that resolving problems at the table through dialogue and negotiation is among their priorities.

HOUSING PROJECTS IN EARTHQUAKE REGIONS AND FIXED INSTALLMENTS

Sharing the details of housing projects at the lottery ceremony, the President touched upon the transformation projects carried out for citizens affected by the earthquake. Stating that 1 million 740 thousand social housing units have been offered to citizens across Turkey, Erdoğan also highlighted the payment facilities provided to earthquake victims. He announced that those moving into new homes will not make payments for the first two years, and will then be able to pay in fixed installments spread over 18 years.

Erdoğan emphasized the state's support by saying, “We, as the state, undertook all the infrastructure costs of 455 thousand houses and provided a 50 percent discount to our citizens on the remaining price.”

At the ceremony, figures and examples regarding urban transformation works and social housing projects were also shared. It was stated that with the cooperation of the municipality and the state, an urbanism approach is adopted where cities are not just composed of buildings, but where cultural and historical values are also brought to the forefront.

EMPHASIS ON SECURITY AND PEACE

Reiterating Turkey's stance in favor of peace in light of recent developments, Erdoğan expressed his wish that peace-oriented policies bring tranquility to the entire region. Pointing to the spirituality brought by the month of Ramadan, the President said, “I especially request that you do not forget our brothers and sisters in our heart and cultural geography during Ramadan-i Sharif, which is a season of solidarity.”

At the end of his remarks, Erdoğan, who underlined that cities are not just structures but also living entities with memories, stated that they follow a human-oriented approach in their service policies.

News Source: 12punto