UAE condemns attempted targeting of Turkey by Iranian missile

The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned an attempted Iranian ballistic missile strike aimed at Turkey, calling the act a serious escalation that threatens regional security, WAM reported.

Turkish officials said the missile, launched from Iran and passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace, was intercepted and destroyed by NATO air defense systems deployed in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed the missile had been “engaged and neutralized” but did not specify its intended target.

A Turkish official, speaking anonymously to AFP, suggested the missile was “aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered off course.” The launch comes amid a series of Iranian retaliatory strikes following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian targets last Saturday.

In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the expansion of hostilities to other countries is unacceptable under international law and political norms, warning that such actions undermine efforts at de-escalation and heighten regional tensions.

The ministry described the strike as a “flagrant violation of state sovereignty” and a direct threat to regional stability.

Iran, however, denied targeting Turkish territory. In a statement carried by state media on Thursday, the Iranian Armed Forces said they respect Turkey’s sovereignty and rejected claims of launching any missile toward its airspace, Reuters reported.