Turkey Seeks To Calm Iran-Pakistan Tensions Amid Strikes (1/2)

Turkey has stepped in to try to calm the escalation in tensions between Iran and Pakistan following missile strikes ordered by Islamabad on supposed 'terrorist hideouts' in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province. The strikes killed at least nine and came a day after Iran launched its own missile and drone strikes on what it said were Sunni militant strongholds on the Pakistani side of the border.

• Turkish journalist Ragip Soylu posts on X: "Turkey calls “brotherly and friendly” Iran, Pakistan and Iraq to de-escalate the situation. Turkish FM Fidan also calls Iranian and Pakistani counterparts, encouraging them to do so. Both Pakistani and Iranian FMs tell Fidan that they have no intention to escalate the tensions; per diplomatic sources."
• Turkey is seen as keen to maintain strong links with both countries. Pakistan is seen as being on the verge of abandoning Turkey's TF-X Kaan fighter programme in favour of procuring Chinese jets, with Ankara likely to pull out all the stops to avoid this scenario as it seeks to raise its profile as a regional defence hub. With Iran, Turkey maintains strong links with regard to their respective military efforts against Kurdish groups seen as threats to their respective national security.