Turkey warns Iran after Nato downs missile near its airspace
Minister calls attacks on Gulf states an incredibly wrong strategy
Dubai: Turkey on Wednesday warned Iran against actions that could widen the regional war after a missile launched from Iranian territory towards Turkish airspace was intercepted by Nato defence systems, officials said on Wednesday.
Ankara said the ballistic munition was detected travelling through Iraqi and Syrian airspace before heading toward Turkey, where Nato air and missile defence assets stationed in the eastern Mediterranean destroyed it before it could enter Turkish territory.
“The threat was engaged in a timely manner and rendered inactive,” Turkey’s defence ministry said in a statement.
Turkey–Iran ties: Complex neighbours
Long shared border: Turkey and Iran share a 500-km border, one of the oldest unchanged borders in the Middle East.
Rivals but partners: The two countries are often regional competitors but maintain pragmatic cooperation in trade, energy and security.
Energy links: Turkey imports natural gas and oil from Iran, making energy ties an important pillar of the relationship.
Syria differences: Ankara and Tehran have backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict, with Iran supporting Bashar al-Assad and Turkey backing rebel groups.
Diplomatic channels: Despite tensions, both countries have maintained regular diplomatic dialogue and economic ties for decades.
Shared security concerns: Turkey and Iran have sometimes cooperated against Kurdish militant groups operating near their borders.
Fragments from the interceptor missile later fell in the Dortyol district of Hatay province in southern Turkey, officials said, adding that there were no casualties or damage reported.
The ministry warned that Turkey would act decisively to defend its territory.
“Any steps necessary to defend our territory and airspace will be taken decisively and without hesitation,” the statement said, adding that Ankara reserves the right to respond to any hostile actions directed at the country.
Following the incident, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with his Iranian counterpart and warned Tehran against actions that could spread the conflict.
Why Turkey fears the war spreading
Shared border with Iran: Turkey shares a 500-km border with Iran, meaning any escalation could quickly spill into Turkish territory.
Nato member: As a member of NATO, Turkey could become directly involved if attacks threaten its airspace or territory.
Trade and energy routes: Turkey sits on key regional trade and energy corridors, and wider conflict could disrupt oil, gas and commercial flows.
Regional instability: Ankara fears a broader war could destabilise Syria, Iraq and the Gulf, regions already facing security challenges.
Refugee concerns: Turkey already hosts millions of refugees and worries that a wider war could trigger new migration waves across its borders.
Fidan told Iran that “any steps that could lead to the spread of conflict should be avoided,” a Turkish foreign ministry source said.
The warning comes as Iran has launched waves of missiles and drones across the Gulf region in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes, targeting infrastructure and military sites in several countries.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Fidan criticised Iran’s expanding campaign across the region, calling the attacks on Gulf states “an incredibly wrong strategy.”
“Iran’s bombing of Arab countries without making any distinction — Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan — is an incredibly wrong strategy,” he said.
He noted that many Gulf countries had tried to prevent the conflict and had not allowed their territory or airspace to be used for attacks on Iran.
According to Fidan, Tehran’s approach appears to reflect a dangerous calculation.
“The underlying strategy seems to be: ‘If I am going to sink, I will take the region down with me,’” he said.
Turkey, a Nato member that shares a 500-kilometre border with Iran, has so far avoided being drawn directly into the conflict but has warned that escalating attacks risk destabilising the wider region.
