Anakra, March 10, 2026 – The Europe Today: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation on Monday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss recent regional developments, including the interception of another missile that entered Turkish airspace.
According to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, President Erdoğan told his Iranian counterpart that the violation of Türkiye’s airspace “cannot be excused for any reason whatsoever” and stressed that Ankara would continue to take all necessary measures in response.
The call, which was held at the request of President Pezeshkian, followed an announcement by the Turkish National Defense Ministry that a ballistic missile fired from Iran and entering Turkish airspace had been neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Last week, the ministry also reported that another ballistic munition fired from Iran toward Turkish airspace after crossing Syria and Iraq was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air defense units in the region.
During the conversation, Erdoğan said Türkiye was being “negatively affected” by conflicts in which it is not a direct party. He emphasized that Ankara does not approve of unlawful interventions against Iran, nor does it support Iran targeting countries in the region.
The Turkish leader stressed that attacks against “brotherly countries” serve no one’s interests and called for an end to such actions. He also underscored the need to reopen channels for diplomacy, noting that Türkiye has been actively working to facilitate dialogue and de-escalation in the region.
Erdoğan also expressed deep sorrow over a deadly Feb. 28 strike on a girls’ school in the southern Iranian city of Minab. Pete Hegseth said the United States is investigating the incident, while Israel has denied involvement.
The conflict escalated after U.S.–Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28 reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior security officials.
Erdoğan also conveyed condolences over Khamenei’s passing and expressed hope that the appointment of his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader would contribute to peace and stability in the region.
For his part, President Pezeshkian said the missiles that entered Turkish airspace were not of Iranian origin and stated that Iranian authorities would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
