President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye has issued the necessary warnings to Iran, urging Tehran to recognize the value of Ankara’s friendship and avoid actions that could harm the bonds of brotherhood, as the regional crisis deepens.
"We have issued the necessary warnings to Iran; Türkiye’s friendship should be valued and no one should act in a way that harms the bonds of brotherhood," Erdoğan said at an iftar with tradespeople in the capital Ankara.
Speaking on the latest developments, Erdoğan said the world is experiencing an unprecedented period marked by growing wars and conflicts. He criticized the international community – particularly Western countries – for largely remaining passive in the face of escalating violence.
The Turkish president said regional tensions intensified significantly after airstrikes targeting Iran, noting that hundreds of civilians, including children, have lost their lives. He warned that Iran’s missile and drone attacks on countries in the region risk spreading the conflict across a much wider area.
Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye is closely monitoring the situation and stressed that no party should take steps that could damage relations built on brotherhood or further destabilize the region.
A ballistic munition fired from Iran and directed toward Turkish airspace on Wednesday was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry said earlier.
The ongoing U.S.-Israel offensive, launched against Iran on Saturday, has killed several top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel and U.S.-linked sites in Gulf countries.
