Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo courtesy of Anadolu.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday to discuss recent regional developments, including the interception of a missile heading toward Türkiye.
Erdogan told Pezeshkian that violations of Turkish airspace cannot be excused and that Türkiye will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, according to the Communications Directorate.
The phone call was requested by Pezeshkian and followed a statement from the Turkish National Defense Ministry that a ballistic missile from Iran entering Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Earlier, the ministry reported that a missile fired from Iran last Wednesday had crossed Syria and Iraq before being intercepted by NATO defense systems.
Erdogan said Türkiye is negatively affected by conflicts in which it is not a party and expressed disapproval of unlawful interventions targeting Iran or other countries in the region. He added that such actions are not in anyone’s interest and must end.
The Turkish leader stressed the importance of reopening diplomatic channels and said Türkiye has actively worked to facilitate dialogue and engagement in the region.
Erdogan also expressed deep sorrow over a February 28 strike on a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, and extended condolences for the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while hoping that the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader would promote regional stability.
Pezeshkian, for his part, said the missiles entering Turkish airspace were not of Iranian origin and that Iran would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
