Türkiye, EU hold high-level virtual meeting on Iran

Turkish vice president meets EU leaders online to discuss regional tensions

Türkiye and the European Union held a high-level virtual meeting to discuss the latest developments in Iran and rising regional tensions. The session brought together Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, European Council President Antonio Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, along with representatives from other regional countries. In a statement shared on his NSosyal account after the meeting, Yılmaz said the talks focused on assessing the humanitarian and geopolitical impacts of the conflict, which carries a significant risk of spilling over across the region. Yılmaz said Türkiye’s main objective remains the swift end of hostilities to protect regional stability, peace and global economic prosperity. “We condemn attacks targeting third countries as well, and we continue our diplomatic efforts multilaterally to bring the conflicts to an end,” Yılmaz said. US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior military officials. Iran retaliated with barrages targeting US bases, diplomatic facilities, and military personnel in the region. A total of eight US service members have been killed amid the ongoing conflict.