Politics
Iran denies shooting missile at Türkiye, cites strong relations
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.”
Türkiye summoned Iran’s Ambassador Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh to the Foreign Ministry in Ankara to lodge a protest and express concern after a ballistic missile fired from Iran was detected heading toward Turkish airspace, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.
A ballistic projectile fired from Iran and heading toward Turkish airspace was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense elements deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.
Moreover, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran published a statement posted on social media noting relevant institutions were monitoring the situation in real time and operating in full coordination.
Türkiye continues to pursue diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and promoting stability in the region, Duran said.
Türkiye on Thursday warned against what it described as attempts to undermine the demilitarized status of several Aegean islands, saying it would not allow “fait accompli” actions or disinformation targeting the country.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said in a statement posted on the social media platform X that the legal status of the Eastern Aegean islands and the Dodecanese, which were placed under demilitarized status under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, is clear and not open to debate.
Keçeli said recent statements and claims regarding the status of the islands were unfounded and politically motivated.
“The objective legal status of the Eastern Aegean islands and the Dodecanese, established under the Treaty of Lausanne and the Paris Peace Treaty, is clear and not subject to discussion,” he said.
The spokesperson accused certain circles of attempting to exploit recent regional developments and of trying to poison Türkiye’s relations with fellow NATO ally Greece.
“It is not surprising that some actors seeking to take advantage of recent developments in our region and attempting to harm our bilateral relations with our NATO ally Greece are once again trying to create a fait accompli,” the statement said.
Keçeli also criticized accusations that Türkiye was acting in a revisionist manner, warning that any steps taken in violation of international law would be considered null and void.
The statement described recent comments contradicting the demilitarized status of the Aegean islands as “unserious, unfortunate and ill-timed.”
Keçeli also referred to the situation in Cyprus, saying Turkish Cypriots and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are capable of ensuring their own security with the support of Türkiye as a guarantor power.
He said the latest developments in the region underscore the importance of a sincere commitment to peace and stability.
Keçeli called on those making what he described as baseless allegations and disinformation against Türkiye for domestic political purposes to act with restraint and common sense.
The statement comes as two Greek frigates have arrived in waters controlled by the Greek Cypriot administration, according to reports in the Greek Cypriot and Greek media.
While Greece moved to bolster security on the island following recent tensions, the S-class frigates Kimon and Psara, reportedly equipped with anti-drone systems, entered the area this week and are expected to contribute to the administration’s defense, the reports said.
Greek Cypriot media also reported that four Greek F-16 fighter jets previously deployed by Athens have been stationed at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos.
The deployments came after a drone struck the nearby British sovereign base at Akrotiri earlier this week, prompting Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides to request additional military support from Greece, the reports said.
On the other hand, Britain’s Defense Ministry said a drone that struck near a Royal Air Force base located in southern Cyprus earlier this week was not launched from Iran.
In a statement, the ministry said it had confirmed that the Shahed-type drone that targeted RAF Akrotiri on the night of March 2 did not originate from Iran. The clarification came after earlier reports linked the incident to Iran’s confrontation with Israel and the United States.
RAF Akrotiri, located in the southern part of the island controlled by the Greek Cypriot administration, was targeted by two Shahed-type drones on March 2, according to British officials.
The incident occurred as tensions in the region rose amid the broader conflict involving Iran, Israel and the U.S.
Britain maintains two sovereign military bases on the Greek side of the split island.
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.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday attacks on NATO ally Türkiye’s sovereignty were “unacceptable” after the alliance shot down an Iranian missile.
Rubio spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan over the phone and pledged Washington’s full support, the U.S. State Department said.
Türkiye on Wednesday said that NATO air defenses destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile headed into Turkish airspace.
Rubio told Fidan that “the attacks on Türkiye’s sovereign territory were unacceptable and pledged full support from the United States,” the State Department said in a statement.
A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by NATO air defense systems, Turkish officials said Wednesday.
The defence ministry said it had been “engaged and neutralized by NATO air-and-missile defense assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean”.
It did not specify the missile’s intended target. Iran has been hitting sites across the region in retaliation after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against it on Saturday.
A Turkish official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the missile had been “aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered off course”.
Officials said fragments that fell in the Dörtyol district in southern Türkiye, near the Syrian border, had been identified as pieces of the interceptor used to neutralize “the threat in the air”.
No casualties were reported.
Rubio and Fidan also discussed recent developments in Iran and across the Middle East during their phone call.
They also reiterated the continued strength of the bilateral relationship, the U.S. State Department added.
Since Saturday, joint U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Belgium expressed solidarity with Türkiye on Wednesday after a ballistic munition launched from Iran toward Turkish airspace was intercepted by NATO air and missile defense systems.
“Belgium stands firmly with Türkiye. I welcome the swift and effective response by NATO air and missile defense assets, which intercepted the threat before it could cause harm,” Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said on social media.
“Iran must stop its indiscriminate attacks across the region. Every new target, every new escalation makes a path back to stability harder. This must end,” he added.
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 ministry said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal that the projectile, detected after passing through Iraq and Syria, was successfully engaged by air defenses.
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.
Two Turkish journalists reporting live from Tel Aviv were detained by Israeli security forces on Tuesday, prompting strong condemnation from Turkish officials who described the move as a clear violation of press freedom.
CNN Türk Correspondent Emrah Çakmak and cameraman Halil Kahraman were taken into custody while covering developments in the Israeli capital, the network said. CNN Türk operates under a licensing agreement with the parent company of CNN International.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Ömer Çelik said the arrests amounted to an attack on the public’s right to information.
“This decision is unacceptable. Journalists must be released immediately,” he wrote on social media, adding that Ankara is following the situation closely.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said Israel was once again targeting journalists in an effort to suppress reporting.
“We are taking the necessary steps to secure their release and are monitoring the matter with great care,” he said.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel also condemned the detentions, stressing that no state has the right to restrict access to information through arbitrary measures.
Mehmet Danış, the head of Türkiye’s media watchdog RTÜK, denounced the detentions as another attempt to block the flow of truthful reporting. He said efforts to secure the journalists’ release were ongoing and that authorities were handling the process with “sensitivity and precision.”
Israel is notorious for its treatment of journalists and is responsible for two-thirds of the total number of journalists killed in the world in 2025.
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