Öncü Keçeli, the spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Turkish diplomatic missions in the region remained open amid the “latest developments,” referring to the conflict that broke out on Saturday when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. Iran responded by targeting U.S. bases in the region as well as Israel.
Keçeli said in a social media post on Sunday that they were monitoring the developments for safety of Turkish citizens abroad. “Notices about the state of security are being updated regularly in coordination with local authorities. It is important that the citizens followed notifications issued by our embassies and consulates. Emergency hotlines of our missions are active around the clock. Citizens can have access to communication information of our embassies and consulates via their websites and consulate call center of our ministry is available for all citizens,” he added.
Türkiye has completed all preparations to protect Turkish citizens, according to Turkish diplomatic sources. All flights to the region have been canceled, although Türkiye's three border crossings with Iran remain open, the sources said on Saturday.
Türkiye is Iran’s western neighbor and maintains close ties with the country. It also hosts a sizeable expat community from Iran and a popular destination for Iranian tourists. U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran did not trigger any influx of people fleeing from Iran into Türkiye so far. The country is also on alert for safety of its citizens, particularly in the Gulf countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) which is popular both for Turkish expats and tourists.
