Turkey announces interception of ballistic missile fired from Iran, the fourth since the start of the war

The Iranian embassy in Turkey has denied any responsibility for Tehran, but Ankara assures that the missile did come from its territory.

Published on: 30/03/2026 20:48

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Turkey announced on Monday, March 30, the interception of a fourth missile fired against its territory, attributed to Iran by the Ministry of Defense. “A ballistic munition, determined to have been fired from Iran and to have penetrated Turkish airspace, was neutralized by the anti-aircraft and missile defense capabilities of NATO deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the ministry said in a statement.

Turkey, involved in mediation efforts to end the war, including negotiations with Pakistan and Egypt, aims to stay out of the conflict ongoing since February 28. “Preventing our country from being dragged into this fire is our number one priority,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had stated.

This is the fourth missile fired towards Turkey, a member of the NATO alliance, since the start of the war in Iran, and none have reached Turkish soil, according to authorities. “All necessary measures are taken with determination and without hesitation against any threat to our country’s territory and airspace, and all developments in the region are closely monitored, giving priority to our national security,” the ministry affirms.

The Iranian embassy in Turkey has denied any responsibility for Tehran, expressing readiness to establish “a joint technical team” to investigate these incidents. Nevertheless, Ankara announced last week the deployment by NATO of a new Patriot anti-aircraft battery at the Incirlik military base in the southern part of the country, which hosts American forces.