President Erdoğan: I am saddened and concerned by the attack on Iran

Erdoğan made statements at the 'AK Party Istanbul Provincial Organization Iftar' program held at the Atatürk Airport National Garden.

Highlights from President Erdoğan's statements are as follows:

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, "We are deeply saddened and concerned by the American-Israeli attacks that began with Netanyahu's provocations against our neighbor Iran. We regret the attacks that not only openly violate Iran's sovereignty but also threaten the peace of the friendly and brotherly Iranian people. Likewise, we find Iran's missile and drone attacks against our brotherly countries in the Gulf unacceptable for any reason whatsoever."

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the AK Party Provincial Organization Iftar Program at the Atatürk Airport National Garden. In his speech at the program, President Erdoğan said, "As you all know very well, Ramadan is a month when cooperation, solidarity, and tolerance reach their peak. Our municipalities, philanthropists, and non-governmental organizations are focusing more intensely than ever on cooperation and solidarity activities, especially during these blessed days. As the AK Party, we are with our nation in suhoor and iftar programs, from the very top to our neighborhood representatives. Without discriminating against anyone, regardless of age, we share the troubles of our people, strengthen our fellowship, and cement our unity and solidarity. I observe with pleasure that our Istanbul organization is also fully in the field and is striving to observe the holy month of Ramadan as it deserves. I congratulate our organization here for their beautiful work and exemplary activities, and I thank each of my brothers and sisters."

"I send my messages of solidarity to all our brothers and sisters who, especially in Gaza, are welcoming Ramadan with a heavy heart"

Erdoğan said, "While embracing our 86 million citizens during the month of Ramadan, we certainly do not forget our brothers and sisters in our heartland and cultural geography. Unfortunately, on one hand, the wars between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and on the other hand, the recent wars between Iran and the Gulf, are not to be forgotten. Our Turkish Diyanet Foundation, TİKA, Red Crescent, and our humanitarian aid organizations, which are the pride of our country, are knocking on the doors of those in need with a spirit of full mobilization, delivering our country's helping hand to the oppressed and victims. Thank God, prayers are being said for Turkey at iftar tables set up with the contributions of our nation in Gaza, Sudan, Somalia, Arakan, and many other places. On behalf of my nation, I send my messages of solidarity to all our brothers and sisters who are welcoming Ramadan with a heavy heart in different corners of our heartland, especially in Gaza. I wholeheartedly believe that all this pain, all these difficulties, and this heroic struggle will sooner or later be crowned with a lasting victory. I especially ask every member of our nation not to forget their oppressed and victimized brothers and sisters in their prayers and aid efforts during the holy month of Ramadan, the month of sharing and solidarity."

"Our region is facing the risk of being dragged into a ring of fire"

"As Turkey, while we work for an environment of peace, stability, and tranquility in our region and the Islamic world during these blessed days, we are deeply saddened and concerned by the American-Israeli attacks that began with Netanyahu's provocations against our neighbor Iran," said President Erdoğan. "We have put in very serious effort for a long time to resolve disputes through dialogue. Especially during this period, I held phone calls with Mr. Trump and Mr. Pezeshkian. Other countries in our region did the same. Neither the trust deficit between the parties could be overcome, nor could the desired result be achieved because Israel's efforts to poison the process continued. We regret the attacks this morning that not only openly violate Iran's sovereignty but also threaten the peace of the friendly and brotherly Iranian people. Likewise, we find Iran's missile and drone attacks against our brotherly countries in the Gulf unacceptable for any reason whatsoever. If space is not opened for diplomacy, our region faces the risk of being dragged into a ring of fire. This must not be allowed. All actors, especially the Islamic world, need to take urgent action so that the war does not grow further and our region does not experience greater pain. As Turkey, we are doing and will continue to do whatever falls to us to resolve the problems with moderation, just as we have since the first day. All our relevant colleagues are in intense contact with their counterparts. We already have no problems regarding our border security and airspace. With a policy that prioritizes the security of our country and our nation, I hope we will successfully manage this sensitive process. Simultaneously, we will accelerate our diplomatic efforts to first establish a ceasefire and then return to the negotiating table. As a state and a nation, we will continue to stand by all brotherly peoples in the region," he said.

"February 28 has left a wreckage behind"

AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan said, "Today is the anniversary of the February 28 intervention, one of the dark days of Turkish political history. February 28 has left a wreckage behind. Calculations show that the February 28 intervention caused Turkey a loss of 381 billion dollars. February 28 left traumatic marks, especially on the lives of women and girls. Psychological violence was applied to headscarved students in persuasion rooms at university gates. These sisters of ours were not allowed into schools. Thousands had to leave their education unfinished. With the coefficient application and the imposition of 8-year uninterrupted education, the path of Imam Hatip Schools and vocational high schools was blocked. We went through a very difficult, painful period. They closed our parties and told us we could not engage in politics. They tried to eliminate us from politics with fabricated judicial decisions. They even came out and shamelessly said, 'you cannot even be a village headman.' They built walls in front of us, created obstacles. They displayed all kinds of lawlessness to stop us, to keep us from the path of serving the nation. But we did not bow down to any of these. We did not fall into pessimism, we did not fall into despair. We relied on God. With patience, endurance, and faith, we eliminated the attacks against us, our dear nation, and our political views one by one."

"We have put an end to arbitrary practices and meaningless bans on headscarves"

"We have returned the rights of our brothers and sisters who were fired or forced to resign during the February 28 period," said President Erdoğan. "We have put an end to arbitrary practices and meaningless bans on headscarves. After July 15, we also eliminated FETÖ, which gave the greatest support to February 28, and saved our nation from a scourge that the February 28 supporters had paved the way for, nurtured, and later unleashed upon the nation. Our headscarved girls who were taken into persuasion rooms 29 years ago are now working freely in the civil service, the judiciary, the military, domestic and foreign politics, the world, the cabinet, that is, in all levels of the state without any restrictions. Our children do not have to choose between their beliefs, their careers, and their religious sensitivities and their schools. Our security forces, our universities, our judiciary, our business world, and our unions no longer spend their time balancing politics, but rather performing their primary duties in the best way possible. Thank God, thanks to the determined, courageous, and equally intelligent and patient struggle of the AK Party and the People's Alliance, we have reached these points. I say, may God be pleased with everyone who has contributed their labor, sweat, and effort to our current gains and the rights and freedoms we have achieved to date," he said.

"What is problematic about our children reading hymns joyfully?"

Stating that dark and gloomy periods are left behind never to return, President Erdoğan said, "As long as we are at the helm of Turkey, with God's permission, no one has the power to resurrect the past, and they never will. Now, three or five mindless people who are on the verge of extinction have emerged and are trying to sow discord among the members of our nation with the declarations they have published. It upsets them that our children meet our national and spiritual values at an early age and establish strong ties with their soul and civilization roots. The person at the head of the main opposition is also providing logistical support to the marginals who wrote the declaration with absurd arguments, bringing water from forty different sources. He is protecting these towers of arrogance who call the nation a 'reactionary minority.' Pay attention, he is constantly speaking in the squares, he does not let go of the microphone. But the gentleman cannot give an answer as to why they oppose the organization of voluntary Ramadan events in schools. What is wrong with children coming together at iftar tables? What is wrong with organizing activities that will increase cooperation and solidarity? What is problematic about our children doing Ramadan decorations and reading hymns joyfully? They have no reasonable, logical, or legal answer to any of these. The person at the head of the main opposition should excuse me. We will continue to walk on the path we know to be right. We will carry our civilization heritage, the gains of our Republic, and the rights and freedoms of our nation to the future by enriching them even further," he said.

News Source: 12punto