Middle Eastern leaders urge respect for democracy in Turkey

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Head of Iran’s National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Saturday that his country watched with concern what was happening in Turkey, echoing his foreign minister’s unease about stability in the region.

Shamkhani said that Iran is “carefully and worriedly monitoring latest developments in Turkey and believes that instability will damage people's security and peace,” according to Iran Daily.

Reports from Iran suggest that all flights from Tehran to Turkey have been suspended due to the military coup attempt in Istanbul and Ankara Friday night.

Deputy director of Imam Khomeini Airport said a review of the decision about flights to Turkey will be made after the security situation in the country is clarified.

“All flights from this airport (IKIA) to Turkey have been suspended until further notice in order to ensure the safety of passengers,” Kurosh Fattati told the official IRNA news agency.

Iran also closed its border with Turkey.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif reportedly had three phone calls with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu after the Friday night coup attempt.

Zarif was one of the first to express concern over what was happening in Turkey and its possible outcome for stability in the region.

“Deeply concerned about the crisis in Turkey. Stability, democracy & safety of Turkish people are paramount. Unity & prudence are imperative,” Zarif said in a tweet.

Zarif said in a second tweet: “Turkish people’s brave defense of democracy & their elected government proves that coups have no place in our region and are doomed to fail.”

 

For its part, the Israeli foreign ministry who recently signed an agreement normalizing ties with Turkey, said in a statement: “Israel respects the democratic process in Turkey and looks forward to the continuation of the reconciliation between Turkey and Israel.” 

 

Tel Aviv also urged its citizens in Turkey to remain indoors, and advised against travel to Turkey following the attempted coup on Friday.

Saudi Arabia, an ally of Turkey, also expressed concerns on Saturday about the attempted military coup in Ankara.

A source from Saudi foreign ministry told the Okaz newspaper that the “The kingdom has followed the developments in brotherly Turkey with concern and the Saudi kingdom is happy to see the situation return to normal under the leadership of Erdogan, its elected government, and within a constitutional legitimacy according to the will of the people of Turkey.”