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Iran Seeks To Allay Turkey Over Missile Threats


Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (right) shakes hand with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in Istanbul last month.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (right) shakes hand with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in Istanbul last month.
Iran's foreign minister has told Turkey that threats by Iranian political figures to strike Turkish missile defenses in case of an attack do not represent Tehran's official policy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told Turkey's state-run Anatolian agency on December 14 that the government had "made the necessary warning to those who make irresponsible and senseless statements."

Salehi added that Iran's stance toward Turkey "is based on deep brotherhood and friendship."

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a Twitter statement that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had telephoned his Iranian counterpart to express unease over recent threats to target Turkey if Iran comes under attack.

Last week, lawmaker Hossein Ibrahimi said Iran could target Turkey in a conflict, due to its hosting of NATO defenses that Iran fears could neutralize the missiles it might use to hit Israel and U.S. forces in the region if attacked.

Reuters

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