President Erdogan announces potential meeting with Trump and condemns Israeli policy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump is highly likely to take place on the sidelines of the upcoming NATO summit. During an AKP parliamentary group meeting, Erdogan also discussed domestic legislative efforts regarding a strategy for a terrorism-free Turkey. Regarding the ongoing crisis with Iran, Erdogan stated that Turkey has successfully avoided regional conflict through diplomatic efforts and direct intervention. He asserted that this management demonstrated the efficiency of the Turkish presidential system. Erdogan simultaneously issued strong criticisms against Israel, accusing it of undermining peace efforts and the Iran nuclear deal. He characterized the Israeli government as a group of radicals engaging in state-sponsored violence and occupation. Finally, he emphasized that Turkey remains committed to supporting efforts for a permanent resolution to the Iranian crisis.