Turkey's Ministry of Defense: Will Respond Firmly to Any Threats Against Turkish Territory and Airspace

¬ Russian Expert: The U.S. Plan to Control Iran’s Oil is Absolutely Unachievable

¬ Russian Foreign Minister: Conflicts in the Persian Gulf Should Be Resolved Through Diplomatic Means

Sputnik News, Istanbul, March 30 — According to a statement released by Turkey's Ministry of Defense, Turkey will firmly respond to any threats targeting its territory and airspace.

This statement, obtained by TASS, was issued following another incident involving the interception of an incoming ballistic missile.

On March 30, Turkey’s air defense forces shot down a ballistic missile launched from Iran — marking the fourth such event since the escalation of the conflict.

The Ministry of Defense stated: "Any threat to Turkey’s territory and airspace will be met with firm, decisive, and unhesitating action using all necessary measures. National security remains our top priority, and we are closely monitoring all developments in the region."

On March 18, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense announced plans to deploy an additional Patriot air defense missile system in Adana Province (home to Incirlik Air Base) to protect Turkish airspace. Another Patriot system is already deployed in Malatya Province, where a early-warning radar station is located in Kurekci.

Previously, Iran’s ambassador to Turkey, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, stated that Tehran cannot rule out the possibility that the intercepted missile was fired by a third party.

Dmitry Rodionov, a Russian political scientist, told Sputnik News that due to the precarious domestic situation within the U.S. leadership and the ineffective military campaign against Iran, the plan to control Iran’s oil industry is absolutely unattainable.

U.S. President Donald Trump previously told the Financial Times he hopes to gain control over Iran’s oil resources, similar to what was done in Venezuela.

When commenting on the prospects of U.S. control over Iran’s oil, Rodionov said: "This is an absolutely unachievable plan — Americans can’t even dream of it."

He pointed out that theoretically, if the United States were to take control of both Iran’s and Venezuela’s oil, it would secure its dominance in the global oil market. However, this goal could only be achieved if the U.S. military operation against Iran succeeded — which is clearly impossible at this time.

He added: "In one month of conflict, the U.S. has made no progress. Although Iran’s extensive infrastructure has been damaged and many casualties have occurred, they have not advanced even one step toward overthrowing the Iranian government or forcing it to submit to U.S. and Israeli demands."

Rodionov emphasized that, conversely, Trump and his team face several risks: including Congress refusing to continue funding military operations, depletion of missile stockpiles, and the likelihood of Republicans losing the November congressional elections due to voter dissatisfaction. There is no justification for agreeing to any measures that might allow the U.S. to control Iran’s oil during negotiations with Iran.

The expert concluded: "On the contrary, the U.S. must consider how to make concessions to Iran and skillfully conceal these concessions so they don’t appear as a complete defeat."

Sputnik News, Moscow, March 30 — The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized during talks with foreign ministers of Persian Gulf states that conflicts in the region should be resolved through political and diplomatic means.

The ministry said: "Lavrov stressed that the root cause of this conflict lies in the baseless and unjustified aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran, and that the conflict can only be resolved through political and diplomatic channels, taking into account the legitimate interests of all countries in the region without conditions."

The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized its call for an immediate end to armed actions causing destruction and suffering among civilians.

The ministry also affirmed Russia’s commitment to working collaboratively with Arab nations to achieve a ceasefire in the Middle East.

After a video conference between Foreign Minister Lavrov and foreign ministers of Persian Gulf states, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated: "It was confirmed that there is a firm commitment to maintaining close coordination with Arab partners on platforms such as the United Nations to promote a swift ceasefire and prevent further escalation of the conflict."

All parties noted the need to establish clear mechanisms of interaction to ensure long-term stability in the Middle East region.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861107397031947/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.