Turkey’s foreign minister criticises Iran’s indiscriminate strikes on Gulf states as a dangerous miscalculation that heightens regional risks.

ISTANBUL: Turkey has condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf as a “wrong strategy” that dangerously escalates regional tensions.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the indiscriminate bombing of Arab nations was a grave miscalculation by Tehran.

“Iran’s bombing of Arab countries without making any distinction — Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan — all of them — is, in my opinion, an incredibly wrong strategy,” Fidan told state-run TRT HABER television.

He warned the attacks significantly increase regional risk and represent an extremely mistaken approach from Iran’s own perspective.

Iran has broadened its war targets to include infrastructure in American allies like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.

Oil infrastructure was hit in Gulf states on Tuesday, prompting Qatar’s state energy firm to halt some production.

Fidan noted most Gulf countries had worked hard to prevent the conflict and had not harmed Iran or allowed their territory to be used for attacks.

He suggested Iran’s response shows a severe threat perception, describing an underlying strategy of regional destruction.

“The underlying strategy seems to be: ‘If I am going to sink, I will take the region down with me’,” Fidan said.

While Iran has struck Israel, Iraq, Jordan, and Gulf states, NATO member Turkey has so far been spared.

Fidan also addressed the US strategy, stating attacks should focus on degrading Iran’s military capabilities rather than regime change.

He argued forcing regime change would introduce severe risks and different scenarios for the region.

The minister expressed hope that Iran’s new leadership, following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could adopt a more flexible stance to stop the war.

He said any resolution should avoid excessively humiliating Iran while addressing other parties’ concerns.

“Otherwise, the prolongation of the war itself will lead to consequences far worse than any concessions that might be made,” Fidan concluded.

 The Sun Malaysia