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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday, discussing the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as broader regional and global issues, the Turkish Anadolu state news agency reported citing the official government readout.
During the call, Erdogan said Türkiye is ready to play a facilitating role to help de-escalate the conflict and support a return to nuclear negotiations, according to the report.
Erdogan noted that he has been in contact with various leaders amid the ongoing conflict.
“Erdogan also emphasized the importance Ankara places on preserving peace and stability in the region,” according to the report.
In Israel, 24 people have been killed since hostilities began on Friday. In Iran, 224 people have been killed.
Israel launched what it calls Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and military sites in the early hours of Friday, calling it a preemptive strike designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran has denied plans to develop such weapons. Tehran retaliated by launching missile and drone counterstrikes on Israel. Both sides have accused each other of targeting civilian areas.