Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described the Middle East as “once again enveloped in a smell of blood and gunpowder”, AFP reports.

“If diplomacy is given a chance, this is entirely possible,” he insisted, a day after Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi effectively ruled out negotiations with Washington.

“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, saying Turkiye was pursuing efforts to find a diplomatic solution.