Turkey’s Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) said Monday that social media claims alleging that Ankara could join the US-Israeli war on Iran on the side of Tehran or send forces into Lebanon were false, insisting that Turkey has not been a party to the conflict and is focused on diplomacy.
In a statement posted on its official social media account, the center said reports that “Türkiye will join the war in support of Iran or intervene in Lebanon” were “disinformation.” It said the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has worked since the start of the war to stop the attacks, prevent the fighting from spreading and help secure lasting peace. The statement also described such claims as part of “psychological warfare” aimed at harming Turkey’s image and undermining what it called Ankara’s constructive role in the crisis.
The denial came as the regional war, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, continued to fuel security fears across the Middle East. Lebanon has become one of the flashpoints of the wider conflict, with fighting and airstrikes intensifying there in recent days.
Turkey, a NATO member that shares a long border with Iran, has repeatedly said it wants to prevent further escalation. Reuters reported last week that Turkish officials were helping pass messages between Iran and the United States, while Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also took part in diplomatic efforts linked to talks in Pakistan aimed at easing tensions.
Ankara has been directly affected by the war despite saying it is not a party to it. Three Iranian missiles had been intercepted by NATO defenses over Turkish territory since the conflict began, adding to public concern that the fighting could spread further.