urkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused Israel of undermining the Islamabad memorandum that had helped ease regional tensions, blaming what he described as Israeli “lies and acts of sabotage.”
Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan also warned that global oil prices could continue to rise unless the crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz is resolved.
“Everyone is paying the price for the American war on Iran,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish president argued that the Islamabad understanding had given the region an opportunity to “breathe a sigh of relief,” but accused Israel of working to derail the agreement.
Turkey under Erdogan has become one of Israel’s most vocal regional critics. Relations between Ankara and Israel have deteriorated sharply in recent years, moving from diplomatic tensions toward increasingly direct strategic competition, particularly over the two countries’ military presence and interests in Syria.
On July 4, Erdogan warned Israel against attempting to sabotage the Pakistan-mediated agreement, saying regional countries should not allow the Israeli government to “plunge the region into bloodshed once again.”
His latest remarks come amid continued regional tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, with fears that disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could place further pressure on international energy markets.
The strait is a critical route for global oil and gas shipments, making prolonged instability around the waterway a major concern for energy-importing countries and global markets.
