March 5, 2026, By Micah Jonah
Iran’s Armed Forces have denied launching any missile towards Turkish territory, insisting that the country respects Turkiye’s sovereignty. The statement, carried by Iranian state media, follows claims from Turkiye’s Ministry of National Defence that a ballistic missile fired from Iran toward Turkish airspace was destroyed by NATO defence systems over the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkiye said the missile passed through Syrian and Iraqi airspace before being intercepted. No casualties or damage were reported. Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Ankara reserves the right to respond to hostile actions and stressed that the country is increasing its deterrent capabilities to safeguard borders and airspace.
Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan lodged a formal protest with Iran, while NATO reaffirmed support for Turkiye. A spokesperson, Allison Hart, said, “Our deterrence and defence posture remains strong across all domains, including air and missile defence.”
US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth indicated that the interception does not automatically trigger NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense clause. Incirlik Air Base in Turkiye, a strategic hub for NATO and US operations, remains under Turkish control but continues to serve as a key logistics and air support site in the region.
