Istanbul: Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has delivered a sharp rebuke to Tehran, describing Iran’s widespread retaliatory strikes on Gulf Arab states as an “incredibly wrong strategy” that escalates regional instability without serving Iran’s own interests.
In an interview with state-run TRT HABER television on Tuesday, Fidan expressed concern over the expanding geographic scope of Iran’s response to the US-Israeli air campaign.
“Iran’s bombing of Arab countries without making any distinction — Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan — all of them — is, in my opinion, an incredibly wrong strategy,” Fidan stated.
“It significantly increases the risk in the region. But from Iran’s own perspective as well, it is an extremely mistaken strategy,” he added.
Energy Infrastructure in the Crosshairs
The Turkish minister’s comments come as Iran has broadened its retaliatory campaign to include critical infrastructure across the Gulf. On Tuesday, Qatar’s state energy firm was forced to halt some production of key materials following strikes on two facilities.
Oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the UAE has also come under Iranian attack, further destabilizing global energy markets already reeling from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Turkiye’s Balancing Act
Ankara has historically maintained complex relations with both Tehran and Washington. Fidan’s criticism reflects growing unease among regional powers about the conflict spiraling out of control, drawing in nations not directly party to the original US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier Tuesday stated that Turkiye was making “intense” diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, advocating for a negotiated resolution.
