Iran calls missile launch in Turkey a US provocation

The Iranian armed forces did not launch missiles in the direction of friendly and neighboring Turkey, the spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command said.

“Considering the past provocations of the US and Zionist regime leaders, it is believed that this action was taken by them to undermine relations between Iran and Turkey,” the statement said.

On March 13, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced the shooting down of an Iranian missile in the country’s airspace. The Turkish Savunma Sanayi website indicated the Incirlik air base as the target. The missile was shot down by NATO forces.

Earlier, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced the shooting down of two ballistic missiles launched from Iran on March 4 and 9. At that time, the Iranian authorities also denied their involvement in the incident.