Fidan tells Iran foreign minister: Airspace violation 'unacceptable'

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan delivered a firm message to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a phone call Tuesday, stressing that the violation of Turkish airspace is "unacceptable," according to diplomatic sources. Fidan underlined that Türkiye "will continue taking all necessary measures against it" and emphasized that all parties should refrain from actions that could undermine regional security or pose risks to civilians.

Iranian response

Araghchi, for his part, stated that the missiles directed toward Turkish airspace "did not originate from Iran" and confirmed that a thorough investigation of the incident would be carried out. The Iranian foreign minister's response suggests Tehran may be seeking to distance itself from the incident or attribute the projectile to another actor amid the complex regional conflict.

Missile debris in Gaziantep

The Turkish National Defense Ministry said Monday that a ballistic missile fired from Iran into 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 country's southeastern Gaziantep province, with no casualties or injuries reported. The incident marked the second such violation since the US-Israeli campaign against Iran began.

Regional context

The development comes amid ongoing US-Israeli attacks on Iran, launched on Feb. 28, which have reportedly killed around 1,300 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Türkiye maintains communication channels with both sides while voicing concerns about spillover effects and advocating for de-escalation.