Iran’s deputy foreign minister on Thursday denied that Tehran had targeted Türkiye with a missile and said Iran has no reason to attack its neighbor, stressing that relations between the two countries remain strong.
Kazem Gharibabadi made the remarks in an interview with Turkish broadcaster A Haber, responding to questions about reports of a ballistic munition launched from Iran that was intercepted before entering Turkish airspace by NATO defense elements.
"Our relations with Türkiye are very good, and we have never had any intention of targeting neighboring countries in the region,” Gharibabadi said.
"There is no reason for us to target Türkiye. We are in contact with Turkish officials and the foreign minister on this issue.”
He also pointed to cooperation between Tehran and Ankara in counterterrorism efforts, saying both countries face similar security challenges in the region.
Gharibabadi warned about the activities of armed groups in northern Iraq, saying Iran had already alerted Iraqi authorities about the movement of militant groups near its borders. He said Tehran expects the Iraqi central government to prevent militants from crossing the border and destabilizing the region.
"If these threats continue, we will not hesitate to use military force,” he said, adding that Iran understands that Türkiye also suffers from terrorism and that the two countries share common concerns regarding regional security.
Separately on Thursday, Iran’s armed forces also rejected claims that a missile had been launched toward Türkiye. In a statement, they said Iran respects Türkiye’s sovereignty and had not fired any missile at Turkish territory.
U.S. and Israel’s betrayal
Gharibabadi also criticized the U.S. and Israel, accusing Washington of betraying diplomatic efforts during nuclear negotiations in Geneva.
"The United States betrayed diplomacy for the second time,” he said. "While nuclear issues were being discussed in negotiations, the war was launched in the background.”
He reiterated that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, saying the country’s leadership has banned the production and use of nuclear bombs and that reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency demonstrate Iran’s transparency.
At the end of the interview, Gharibabadi called for unity across the Muslim world, saying tensions in the region require solidarity among Muslim nations.
"The Islamic world is under pressure,” he said. "The Iranian people and all Muslims must stand united against aggression. Our unity is our greatest strength.”