Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the country might join the nuclear race due to concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions. Ankara does not wish to disrupt the fragile balance of power in the region but may be forced to do so.
Turkey will consider joining a regional nuclear arms race due to concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday evening. This was reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
Ankara does not want to upset the fragile balance of power in the region, which could lead to nuclear competition, Fidan said in an interview with CNN Turk. But "we may inevitably have to join the same race," he added in response to a question about whether Turkey would perceive Iran's development of nuclear weapons as a threat.
Fidan's statements come amid US efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons capabilities. Turkey accuses Israel of possessing such an arsenal and claims that this undermines stability in the region – an accusation that Israel has neither confirmed nor denied.
The development of nuclear weapons "needs to be viewed in a broader context," Fidan said, calling it a "high-level strategic issue." The country does not have a nuclear weapons program and is a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Turkey is currently building the first of three nuclear power plants to generate energy.
Trump involved military in key diplomatic talks on Iran and the war in Ukraine08.02.26, 10:26 • 5324 views
"Iran's military nuclear program could trigger a cascade of proliferation in the region, with Saudi Arabia already confirming its desire to have such a program – although it currently lacks the capabilities to do so," Bloomberg Economics notes.
"Turkey and Egypt have also expressed interest in expanding civilian nuclear programs. The expansion of such programs could also pose a proliferation threat," Bloomberg Economics adds.
Turkey hosts dozens of US nuclear warheads at its Incirlik airbase in Adana province, approximately 70 miles from the Syrian border, although it is not allowed to transport or deploy them.
Commenting on the talks between the US and Iran, which took place on Friday in Oman and are scheduled to continue this week, Fidan said that airstrikes "will not lead to regime change" in Tehran, adding that the Middle East cannot withstand another war.
"They are not making an atomic bomb," Fidan said of Iran. He predicted that doubts about Washington's willingness to fulfill security commitments to allies could provoke a nuclear arms race in Asia and Europe in the future.
Iran announced its refusal to stop uranium enrichment despite the threat of war and US pressure09.02.26, 00:17 • 7244 views
