Several international organizations and governments expressed solidarity with Türkiye after a ballistic munition fired from Iran toward Turkish airspace was intercepted by NATO air and missile defense systems.
In a statement issued Thursday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the attempted missile launch, describing it as a “serious escalation” and a violation of state sovereignty.
The ministry said such hostile acts represent “a direct threat to regional security and stability,” warning that expanding attacks to additional countries is unacceptable under international legal and political norms and risks further inflaming tensions in the Middle East.
Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday that a ballistic munition launched from Iran and directed toward Turkish airspace was detected after crossing Iraqi and Syrian airspace. The projectile was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Debris from the missile fell in the Dörtyol district of Hatay province in southern Türkiye, officials said, adding that no casualties or injuries were reported.
In response to the incident, Türkiye summoned Iran’s ambassador to Ankara, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, to the Foreign Ministry, where officials conveyed a formal protest and expressed deep concern over the launch.
Turkish officials stressed that any steps that could expand ongoing conflicts or further destabilize the region must be avoided.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also denounced the firing of the ballistic missile toward Turkish airspace. In a statement on Wednesday, the group expressed full solidarity with Türkiye and reaffirmed its support for the country’s sovereignty, security and stability.
The OIC general secretariat called for an immediate halt to actions that could escalate tensions and warned that threatening member states undermines the principles of international relations based on good neighborliness and mutual respect.
Several NATO allies also voiced support for Türkiye following the interception.
Albania said it stands in “full solidarity with our NATO ally and strategic partner Türkiye,” in a statement posted on the social media platform X by the country’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The ministry welcomed NATO’s rapid response, saying the interception helped protect civilians and allied territory while warning that Iran’s “reckless attacks” risk further destabilizing the region.
Spain likewise condemned the incident. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said he spoke with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and conveyed Spain’s strong condemnation of what he described as Iran’s missile attack targeting Türkiye.
“I conveyed our strong condemnation of Iran’s missile attack against their country and expressed our solidarity with the Turkish government and people,” Albares said in a statement posted on X.
Albares also reiterated Spain’s call for de-escalation in the Middle East and urged all parties to return to diplomatic negotiations and respect international law.
NATO also condemned Iran's targeting of Türkiye, spokesperson Allison Hart said following the incident.
"We condemn Iran's targeting of Türkiye. NATO stands firmly with all allies, including Türkiye, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region. Our deterrence and defense posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defense," Hart said.
On the other hand, Iran’s armed forces on Thursday denied claims that a missile had been launched toward Türkiye, saying they respect the country’s sovereignty and had not fired any missiles at Turkish territory.
