Erdogan and Pezeshkian Accuse Israel of Ecocide at COP31
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced environmental destruction in Gaza and Iran during the COP31 climate summit in Antalya.
During the COP31 UN climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan characterized the environmental destruction in the Gaza Strip as an "ecocide" and an "ecological genocide." He cited the pollution of soil and water, the destruction of centuries-old olive groves, and the collapse of infrastructure that left displaced Palestinians vulnerable to torrential rains. Erdogan urged the international community to recognize these impacts and demanded that Israel increase humanitarian aid access.
Simultaneously, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of causing severe environmental damage through a military campaign that began on February 28, 2026. Pezeshkian claimed strikes on fuel storage tanks near Tehran and gas processing facilities in Asaluyeh released 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide. He called for the establishment of international compensation mechanisms for military-induced environmental damage, arguing that climate commitments must remain binding during wartime.
The Government of Israel rejected these claims, with its Foreign Ministry accusing Erdogan of pushing an "anti-Israel campaign of lies" and supporting Hamas. Israeli officials asserted that reconstruction in Gaza can only begin if Hamas disarms. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu further characterized Erdogan as a "superspreader of antisemitic lies."
On the sidelines of the summit, Erdogan met with Pezeshkian to urge a return to diplomacy to end the war between the United States and Iran. This conflict escalated following US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leading to Iranian missile attacks and a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
