Turkish President Erdoğan Warns Against 'New Sykes-Picot Order'
“We will not allow the establishment of a new Sykes-Picot order in our region with borders to be drawn in blood,” Erdoğan declared, referencing the 1916 colonial-era agreement that redrew the geopolitical map of the Middle East.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday issued a strong warning against the emergence of a “new Sykes-Picot order” in the Middle East, urging greater unity among Islamic nations to counter Israeli actions and broader regional instability. His remarks came during the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Istanbul.
“We will not allow the establishment of a new Sykes-Picot order in our region with borders to be drawn in blood,” Erdoğan declared, referencing the 1916 colonial-era agreement that redrew the geopolitical map of the Middle East.
According to a report by Anadolu Agency (AA), Erdoğan described the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as surpassing even the horrors of Nazi concentration camps. “Two million of our sisters and brothers in Gaza have been struggling to survive under these conditions for 21 months,” he said.
The Turkish president also expressed solidarity with Iran, which has been engaged in direct conflict with Israel since June 13, 2025. “We have no doubt that the Iranian people, with their solidarity in the face of difficulties and strong state experience, will hopefully overcome these days,” Erdoğan stated.
He called on the wider Islamic world to demonstrate collective resistance against Israeli military operations extending beyond Gaza. “We must show greater solidarity to stop Israel's acts of banditry not only in Palestine but also in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran,” he urged.
Welcoming Syria’s reintegration into the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of supporting the war-torn country: “Syria needs the support of all of us, the entire Islamic world, to protect its territorial integrity, national unity, and achieve lasting stability.”
His remarks come amid rising appeals for unified Islamic responses to what many member states have described as aggressive military and geopolitical maneuvers by Israel across the region. Erdoğan’s comments at the OIC meeting reflect a broader call for a cohesive and strategic approach by Islamic nations in confronting ongoing crises.
