site.btaIran Not Source of Missiles Entering Turkish Airspace, Pezeshkian Tells Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held a telephone conversation in which the Iranian leader said that Iran was not the source of the missiles that entered Turkiye’s airspace and that a comprehensive investigation into the incident would be carried out, the Communications Directorate of the Turkish Presidency said. The conversation was held at the request of the Iranian side.

On March 9, Turkiye’s Defence Ministry reported that a ballistic missile launched from Iran had entered Turkish airspace and was intercepted by NATO air and missile defence systems in the Eastern Mediterranean. This was the second such incident in recent days amid developments in the Middle East. On March 4, the Ministry also reported intercepting an Iranian ballistic missile that had headed towards Turkish airspace after flying over the airspace of Iraq and Syria.

Erdogan expressed disagreement with interference in Iran, describing it as illegal, and stressed that he did not consider it appropriate for Iran to attack third, friendly countries in the region. The Turkish President told Pezeshkian that such actions would benefit no one and should come to an end.

Erdogan also underlined the need for negotiations and the efforts Turkiye is making to resume them. He expressed sorrow over the loss of human lives, including children killed in a missile strike on a school in the Iranian city of Minab.

The Turkish head of State also extended condolences over the death of Ali Khamenei and expressed hope that the election of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader would bring peace to the region.