President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reacted to the incident involving the Iranian missiles, stating:
“Despite our sincere warnings, provocative actions that threaten the friendship between our countries continue. It is not wise to take steps that could hurt the hearts of our people and undermine centuries-old neighborly relations. I urge an awareness of mistakes and an end to stubbornness,” the Turkish leader said.
The Iranian ambassador in Ankara was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for clarification.
After the incident, Erdoğan and Iranian President Pezeshkian communicated by phone.
The Turkish president emphasized that any violations of airspace are unacceptable, regardless of the reasons. “We will take all necessary measures for protection,” he added. In response, the Iranian president assured that the missiles that entered Turkey's space were not launched from Iranian territory and proposed the establishment of a joint investigative commission for a thorough investigation.
On the morning of February 28, Israel and the United States struck Iran. Donald Trump announced intentions to destroy the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic.
In response, Iran began attacks on territories in Israel and other countries in the Middle East where U.S. military bases are located. Strikes were directed at Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai (UAE), as well as Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).
As a result of the American-Israeli attack, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. His wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh, also died from her injuries.
Trump stated that the military operation in Iran would last about four weeks. A jihad against the U.S. and Israel has been declared in Iran, emphasizing that there will be no negotiations.
The conflict in the Middle East affects the whole world, including Kyrgyzstan. Currently, thousands of tourists are stranded due to the conflict in the UAE. Contact numbers for embassies and consulates available for Kyrgyz citizens abroad can be found here.
