Türkiye has issued necessary warnings to Iran, but Tehran continues to take “wrong steps” despite those warnings, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday, while stressing Ankara’s priority is to keep the country out of the conflict.
Speaking at a news conference after a Cabinet meeting, Erdoğan said Türkiye has closely followed developments surrounding the Iran conflict and has communicated its concerns directly.
“Necessary warnings were issued to Iran. Despite these warnings, it continues to take the wrong steps,” Erdoğan said.
He reiterated that Ankara’s primary objective is to prevent Türkiye from being drawn into the war, while continuing to advocate diplomacy.
“As in other wars, Türkiye stands on the side of justice and supports resolving conflicts through dialogue,” Erdoğan said.
The president also emphasized Türkiye’s defense capabilities, saying the country has the capacity to respond to threats targeting its security and sovereignty.
“The Republic of Türkiye is strong and capable in every field. It has the capacity to repel any attack and break the dirty hands targeting its survival,” he said.
Erdoğan's remarks came after Türkiye shot down a ballistic missile fired from Iran, in the second such incident five days.