BREAKING. NATO, involved for the first time in the war. The military alliance intercepted an Iranian missile heading towards Turkey
Iran's military maneuvers. PHOTO: Sepahnews / Zuma Press / Profimedia
The war in Iran has reached Turkey after it spread to the Persian Gulf states, with the North Atlantic Alliance intervening to neutralize an Iranian missile, the government in Ankara announced, quoted by Reuters.
NATO air and missile defense systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean destroyed a ballistic missile launched from Iran that was heading toward Turkish airspace after passing over Syria and Iraq, Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
It is the first time that Turkey, a NATO member and Iran's neighbor to the northwest, is involved in the expanding conflict between Iran and the US and Israel.
“We warn all parties to refrain from actions that would lead to further escalation of the conflict in the region. In this context, we will continue to consult with NATO and our other allies,” the ministry said, adding that there were no casualties or injuries.
“All necessary measures to defend our territory and airspace will be taken decisively and without hesitation. We remind all parties that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions against our country,” he added.
Turkey's protest
Two other initial statements by senior Turkish officials about the incident did not mention Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, which states that the allies “shall consult each other whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security” of a member is threatened.
Ankara said debris from the missile that intercepted the ballistic missile fell in the Dortyol district of Hatay province in southeastern Turkey.
Turkey's foreign minister conveyed Ankara's protest over the ballistic missile to his Iranian counterpart in a phone call on Wednesday, a Turkish diplomatic source said, cited by Reuters.
During the call, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi that they must avoid any moves or measures that could aggravate the conflict, the source said.
