Turkey is opposed to any foreign military intervention in Iran and believes the country must resolve its internal challenges independently, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said today.
Speaking to media representatives at a meeting in İstanbul, Fidan evaluated the ongoing unrest and international pressure facing Tehran. He emphasized that the issues within Iran should be handled through its own "authentic" domestic processes rather than external force.
“We are against a military intervention against Iran; Iran needs to solve its own authentic problems within itself,” Fidan stated.
The minister noted that Iran’s internal situation has a significant international dimension due to existing sanctions. He suggested that these economic restrictions are a primary driver of the current social friction.
“Iran has a large population and a dynamic society. It has sophisticated people with a very high desire for life and participation in life. When you deprive them of certain things, these kinds of problems emerge,” he added.
“What is confused here is that the difficulties people face regarding economic and other hardships appear as an ideological uprising against the regime; this is actually a grey area,” the minister said. He added that, upon closer inspection, the situation does not offer a legitimate opportunity for countries hostile to the Iranian government to intervene.
Possible US intervention
Regarding regional stability, Fidan urged Tehran to engage in diplomacy to resolve its standing issues with neighbors and the international community. He specifically mentioned the nuclear issue as a key area where diplomatic progress could alleviate the structural economic problems caused by isolation.
“It should solve its problems on the global nuclear issue through diplomacy without losing any opportunity, so that some structural problems causing economic difficulties can be eliminated,” Fidan said.
When asked about the potential for military action under US President Donald Trump, Fidan observed that the current US administration has historically shown a preference for policies that do not necessarily involve large-scale ground operations.
Trump has expressed support for the protesters, warning of potential military intervention or punitive tariffs if the lethal use of force against civilians continues.
Iran protests
Nationwide protests have swept across Iran’s 31 provinces since Dec 28, initially triggered by a collapse in the national currency and soaring inflation. What began as strikes by merchants in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar quickly evolved into a broader uprising.
In response, Iranian authorities have implemented a near-total internet blackout and launched a violent crackdown that human rights groups describe as unprecedented. While official figures remain difficult to verify due to communication restrictions, monitoring organizations report that hundreds of people have been killed and thousands were detained. (VK)
