Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that the escalating conflict involving Iran has pushed regional tensions to a “terrifying level,” raising fears that the crisis could spread across the Middle East.
“With the air strikes against our neighbour Iran, regional tensions have reached a terrifying level,” Erdogan said on Thursday at an event in the capital Ankara.
He also pointed to Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting other countries in the region, saying they heighten concerns that the conflict could widen further.
“The missiles and kamikaze drones directed by Iran against other countries in the region raise fears of the conflict spreading to a much wider area,” he said.
Türkiye strengthens security, pushes diplomacy
Erdogan said Türkiye is taking steps to safeguard its borders and airspace while continuing diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Türkiye shows no “negligence or hesitation in ensuring the security of our borders and airspace,” he said, emphasising that the country’s stance since the start of the crisis has been focused on regional peace.
“We will continue our multi-dimensional diplomacy with the aim of preventing further bloodshed in our region and ensuring that no more innocent people are torn from life,” Erdogan added.
The president also referenced a recent incident in which a munition fired from Iran towards Turkish airspace was intercepted by NATO defence systems.
According to Erdogan, Ankara issued the “necessary warnings” following the incident to prevent a similar situation from happening again.
“Should a threat to our country's security arise, we will take all necessary measures with the utmost care in coordination with our allies,” he said.
Regional conflict intensifies
Tensions in the Middle East have surged since the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran starting February 28, targeting military and strategic sites across the country.
The attacks reportedly killed more than 900 people, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has responded with missile and drone strikes against Israel as well as Gulf countries hosting US military assets, raising concerns about disruptions to regional stability and global energy routes.
