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Turkey, Iran FMs warn over Israel's expansion of Gaza war, disagree on oil boycott

As Turkey and Iran are signaling unity on joint warnings over expansion of the Israel-Hamas war, Tehran’s call for a boycott against Israel has not been echoed in Ankara.

Iran Turkey FMs
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L) and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan attend a press conference in Ankara on Nov. 1, 2023. Turkey and Iran called for a regional conference aimed at averting the spread of the Israel-Hamas war. — ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

ANKARA — The top diplomats of Turkey and Iran on Wednesday aired a joint warning against the expansion of the Israel-Hamas war, but the duo appeared to differ on oil exports to Israel. 

“Now, as a region, we share concerns over the spread of the conflict,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. He added that his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, “also conveyed that there are strong indications that other armed elements in the region may be involved in the conflict if the current conditions do not change. Now, in the face of such a reality, ceasefire and peace have become more essential than ever.”

His remarks came a day after Israel intercepted a missile attack on its southern city of Eilat on Tuesday launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. 

Fidan went on, “We call on all actors in and outside the region to promote lasting and just peace.” 

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