Two Missiles Approaching Turkey Shot Down, President Erdogan Warns Iran

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that territorial violations cannot be justified and his country will take the necessary action.

President Erdogan made the statement during a telephone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday to discuss recent regional developments, including the interception of another missile heading for Turkey.

President Erdogan told President Pezeshkian that the violation of Turkish airspace "cannot be justified under any pretext" and "Turkey will continue to take all necessary measures to fight this," the Turkish Communications Directorate said in a statement, quoted by Anadolu (10/3).

The phone call, which was made at Pezeshkian's request, came after Turkey's National Defense Ministry said on Monday that a ballistic missile fired from Iran that entered Turkish airspace had been neutralized by air defense assets and NATO missile assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Last Wednesday, the ministry said a ballistic munition fired from Iran towards Turkish airspace after crossing Syria and Iraq had been intercepted and neutralised by NATO air and missile defence units in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey is "negatively affected" by conflicts in which Turkey is not a party, President Erdogan told his Iranian counterpart.

Ankara does not approve of "illegal interventions" against Iran and Iran's targeting of countries in the region, President Erdogan said, adding that targeting friendly countries "is not in anyone's interest" and "this action must be ended."

Meanwhile, President Pezeshkian said the missile that entered Turkish airspace was not Iranian-made and that Iranian authorities would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

President Erdogan stressed the need to reopen the doors of diplomacy and said that Turkey has been actively working to help facilitate diplomatic engagement in the region.

During the phone conversation, the Turkish leader also expressed "deep sorrow" over the deadly attack on February 28 at a girls' school in the southern Iranian city of Minab.

It is known that the Middle East region is heating up along with the Israeli and US attacks on Iran on February 28, killing civilians and high-ranking Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran retaliated by carrying out attacks on Israeli territory and targeting facilities related to US military activity in the Middle East.

On this occasion, President Erdogan again expressed his condolences for the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, praised the appointment of his son, Mojtaba Khamenei as his successor and hoped to contribute to peace and stability in the region.