Turkish President Erdogan urges immediate diplomatic end to Middle East conflict, warning of greater human and economic costs if fighting continues.

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that the ongoing war in the Middle East must be stopped before it engulfs the entire region.

He described the Middle East as “once again enveloped in a smell of blood and gunpowder” during a statement on Wednesday.

“This war must be stopped before it becomes bigger and completely engulfs the region in flames,” Erdogan said.

He insisted that a diplomatic solution is “entirely possible” if given a chance.

His appeal follows Iran’s top diplomat effectively ruling out negotiations with Washington a day earlier.

The conflict, sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has caused widespread death, displacement and destruction.

It has also roiled oil markets, leading to a significant spike in global prices.

“If this senseless, lawless and irregular war continues, there will be more loss of life and property, and the cost to the global economy will increase even further,” Erdogan added.

He stated that Turkey is actively pursuing efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Tehran has retaliated with strikes across the Middle East since the war began.

Turkey appears to have been largely spared, aside from two ballistic missile interceptions in its airspace by NATO defence systems.

 The Sun Malaysia