“Ensuring the tranquility of the 86 million is our greatest sensitivity throughout this process”

 

Delivering remarks following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting, President Erdoğan said: “We as the government have been on the alert with all our units since February 28. We have mobilized all the institutions of our state. Our primary aim is to keep our country away from this fire. Ensuring Türkiye’s security and the tranquility of the 86 million is our greatest sensitivity throughout this process.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered remarks following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting at the Presidential Complex.

“WE HAVE MOBILIZED ALL THE INSTITUTIONS OF OUR STATE”

Stating that they have addressed the issues that are of critical importance to Türkiye, the Iran crisis and its ramifications on the region in particular, during the Cabinet Meeting, President Erdoğan said: “We as the government have been on the alert with all our units since February 28. We have mobilized all the institutions of our state. With our cadres experienced in crisis management, we constantly follow all the developments, paying attention to every possibility. We do not let go of caution or vigilance even for a moment. Our primary aim is to keep our country away from this fire. Ensuring Türkiye’s security and the tranquility of the 86 million is our greatest sensitivity throughout this process.”

Noting that they do not want even a single citizen to get hurt, President Erdoğan added that despite those, who add fuel to the fire to plunge the region into instability, they carry water to the fire, and sincerely endeavor to control the fire before it gets bigger, and put it out if possible.

“THE REPUBLIC OF TÜRKİYE IS STRONG AND COMPETENT IN EVERY AREA”

“Neither our state nor our government has any weaknesses,” President Erdoğan stressed, and said: “The Republic of Türkiye is strong and competent in every area, diplomacy, defense and intelligence in particular, and has the strength and capability of, thanks be to Allah, repelling any kind of attack, and breaking the dirty hands targeting its permanence.”

President Erdoğan continued as follows: “As is the case in the Russia-Ukraine war, which has entered its fifth year, as was the case in the Syrian dispute, which continued for 13.5 years, and as is the case in the genocide and massacres Israel carries out against Gaza, Türkiye favors equity, justice, international law, peace and stability in the Iran crisis as well. It favors the resolution of conflicts through dialogue. We have been engaged in an intensive diplomacy traffic since day one. We have held talks with 16 leaders so far to find a solution to the crisis before it grows bigger.”

“WE ROUND-THE-CLOCK MONITOR OUR AIRSPACE AGAINST POTENTIAL THREATS”

Drawing attention to the steps that have been taken since February 28 in terms of the consolidation of Türkiye’s defense and security measures, President Erdoğan said: “With our F-16s, early warning and tanker aircrafts, we round-the-clock monitor our airspace against potential threats. All our air defense operation centers have become operational on the same bases. With our land, naval and air forces, we ensure the security of our borders with nearly 60 thousand personnel under every kind of air and field conditions.”

“EXTREMELY WRONG AND PROVOCATIVE STEPS ARE CONTINUED TO BE TAKEN”

Pointing to the missile, which was fired from Iran on March 4 and was neutralized by NATO while heading Türkiye, President Erdoğan stated that the necessary warnings were made to Iranian officials, and said: “However, I would hereby like to underscore that despite our warnings, extremely wrong and provocative steps, which will undermine Türkiye’s friendship, are continued to be taken. All should avoid calculations, which will inflict deep wounds in the hearts and minds of our nation, and which will cast a shadow on our 1,000-year-old neighborhood and brotherhood. Türkiye’s stance and attitude are clear. And the extraordinary efforts it has been making to prevent the fire from spreading even further and to prevent further bloodshed are evident. In terms of today’s incident, I once again remind that no one should persist or be stubborn in making mistakes. We will follow the developments in coordination with NATO and our other allies, and continue to take additional measures that will strengthen our security.”

“NO ONE SHOULD FALL FOR THE ZIONIST MASSACRE GANG’S TRAP”

Further stressing that to increase the security of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus they have deployed six F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems in the island, President Erdoğan went on to say: “We are in solidarity with the brotherly countries in the region, especially with the brotherly Azerbaijan, with which we act with the maxim of ‘one nation, two states’. Likewise, we constantly follow the activities of terrorist elements in the region. Let me once again point out that we stand up in the strongest manner against every kind of scenario, which will hinder our terror-free Türkiye process, and which will deal a blow to the tranquility and stability of our region. No one should make any miscalculations, and fall for the Zionist massacre gang’s trap to pit brother against brother. We welcome the statements made by our brothers in the Iraqi Kurdish region, and wholeheartedly believe that they will not fall into that trap.”