Mojtaba Khamenei Denies Iranian Involvement in Attacks on Turkey and Oman
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Tehran, March 21 (NationPress) Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, asserted that the recent assaults on regions of Turkey and Oman were not executed by Iranian military forces or their allies.
In a message celebrating the arrival of Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday (local time), which signifies the conclusion of Ramadan, and Nowruz, the start of the Iranian New Year on March 21, Khamenei emphasized these points in a statement on his official website.
Khamenei noted that Iran maintains positive relations with both Turkey and Oman, cautioning against Israel's "deception" involving "false flag" tactics aimed at sowing discord between Iran and its neighboring countries, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
He warned that such operations could occur in other nations as well.
Khamenei underscored the significance of Iran's relationships with its neighbors and urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to foster improved ties, expressing his willingness to facilitate this process.
Additionally, he stressed the necessity to improve the living standards of citizens and enhance national infrastructure, focusing on welfare and wealth generation for the populace, while declaring this new year as the "year of resistance economy in light of national unity."
On the same day, NATO announced the deployment of an extra Patriot air defense system to Turkey's southern Adana province, according to the Turkish Defence Ministry, following the interception of a ballistic missile that had been launched from Iran towards Turkish airspace last week.
"Alongside national security measures for our airspace and citizens, an additional Patriot system, sent by Allied Air Command from Ramstein, Germany, is being placed in Adana, augmenting the existing Spanish Patriot system in the area," stated Turkish Defence Ministry Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk during a press briefing.
Akturk reported that a missile launched from Iran on March 13 had crossed into Turkish airspace and was neutralized over the eastern Mediterranean by NATO's air and missile defense units.
Furthermore, on February 28, Israel and the United States initiated coordinated strikes on Tehran and various Iranian cities, resulting in the death of Iran's former supreme leader, along with several senior military officials and civilians.
In retaliation, Iran launched a series of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli and U.S. installations and assets throughout the Middle East.