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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday rejected as “completely baseless” reports that Iran had fired missiles at Türkiye and offered to jointly investigate the issue.
During a phone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Araghchi warned against what he described as “false-flag operations by enemies” and said Iran was “ready for joint technical cooperation to examine any possible claim,” according to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
On Monday, Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry said NATO forces had intercepted a new missile fired from Iran, the fourth such incident since the start of the Middle East war.
“A ballistic munition, determined to have been launched from Iran and to have entered Turkish airspace, has been neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that Türkiye is responding decisively to any potential threat and closely monitoring developments in the region.
“All necessary measures are being taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at the country’s territory and airspace, and all developments in the region are being closely monitored with priority given to our national security,” the statement said.
NATO’s spokeswoman said Monday that the alliance had “again successfully intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile heading to Türkiye,” adding: “NATO is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend all Allies.”
On March 4, a ballistic munition fired from Iran toward Turkish airspace was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry said.
The ministry said the projectile, detected after passing through Iraq and Syria, was successfully engaged by air defenses, adding that fragments that fell in the Dortyol district of southern Hatay province belonged to the interceptor used to destroy the threat.
Following that incident, on March 9, the ministry said a ballistic missile fired from Iran that entered Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. Some debris from the missile fell onto vacant land in the southeastern Gaziantep province, and there were no casualties or injuries, it added.
The region has been on alert since the United States and Israel launched an air offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation.
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