German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone conversation on Friday to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran. According to the German government’s spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, the two leaders agreed that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons and that efforts should be made to prevent the conflict from escalating.

During the call, they exchanged information on their respective diplomatic efforts and agreed to coordinate closely on the matter. They also concurred that a swift ceasefire in Gaza is necessary. Additionally, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a successful NATO summit, scheduled for the coming week, Kornelius stated.