Yılmaz: Türkiye supports Iranian people, but finds attacks on neighbors unacceptable

2026-03-14 - 09:12

Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said Friday that Türkiye supports the Iranian people but considers attacks by Iran "on friendly and neighboring countries unacceptable." Yılmaz told CNN Türk that Ankara maintains a principled stance on the conflict involving Iran, balancing support for Iranians with opposition to regional aggression. Principled stance "Türkiye takes a principled stance in support of the Iranian people. It clearly states that attacks against Iran are unacceptable," he said, affirming Ankara's opposition to US-Israeli strikes on Iran that have killed over 1,300 people. However, he equally condemned Iranian retaliatory strikes that have hit Gulf states and threatened Turkish territory. Calm evaluation Responding to reports about missiles launched from Iran toward Türkiye, Yılmaz said Ankara evaluates the incidents "calmly." "The Republic of Türkiye is a state with traditions. It is not a state that makes decisions based on emotions or sudden reflexes. It is a state that can analyze every event in a multi-dimensional way, foresee its advantages and disadvantages, and its long-term consequences," he said. Warning and precautions "We have repeatedly said and warned that it should not happen. We hope it will not happen again," said Yilmaz, referring to missile incidents where Iranian projectiles entered Turkish airspace, subsequently neutralized by NATO assets. He added that Türkiye will continue to take precautions against all kinds of threats, emphasizing Ankara's determination to protect its sovereignty while avoiding being drawn into the regional conflict.