Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday described the unrest in Iran as a “new test” for Tehran, saying Turkey would oppose any initiative that could push the region into chaos.
“We believe that with a policy prioritizing dialogue and diplomacy, our Iranian brothers will, God willing, get through this trap-filled period,” Erdoğan said in a televised speech after a weekly Cabinet meeting.
It was his first public comment on the protests in the Islamic Republic, during which thousands of people have been killed.
“Our neighbor Iran, following the Israeli attacks, is now facing a new test that targets its social peace and stability,” Erdoğan said.
“We are all watching the scenarios that are being attempted to be written through the streets.”
“With our foreign policy centered on peace and stability, we will continue to stand against any initiative that risks dragging our region into uncertainty,” Erdoğan added.
Before the latest unrest, Iran was already dealing with an economic crisis after years of sanctions and recovering from the June conflict with Israel.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday that Ankara opposed a military operation against Iran, an option US President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised as a way to support Iranians amid the crackdown on protests.
© Agence France-Presse