09.03.2026 13:51
The first comment from Turkey regarding the election of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new religious leader by the Assembly of Experts in Iran came from AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik. He stated, "It is necessary to understand Iran's system. A very radical change in policy should not be expected. There is a body we call the Assembly of Experts. Sooner or later, everyone will be in search of stopping this war and re-establishing the table. This will not change Iran's stance."
AK Party Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesman Ömer Çelik answered questions from Ahmed Arpat during a live broadcast on NTV. Evaluating the attacks by the US and Israel on Iran, Çelik criticized the events with harsh words.
"ONE OF THE MOST TERRIBLE WARS"
Stating that the way the attacks started and the potential consequences are extremely dangerous, Çelik said, "It is one of the most terrible wars in known political history. In terms of the brutality of the war, the way it started, and the consequences it will bring. Aggression is directly targeting Iran. These brutal attacks occurred while a diplomatic table was set up. Why would anyone set up a diplomatic table after this? The concept of order is eliminated when two countries brutally target one country through the power route. There is no legal basis for the US and Israel's attacks on Iran."
"FIRE RAINED DOWN ON THE IRANIAN PEOPLE"
Çelik emphasized that the attacks directly affected the Iranian people and stated that the international order has been seriously shaken. In his evaluation of the issue, he said, "With this event, there is no longer such a thing as world order. Attacking to change a country's regime is barbarism. No one has the right to attack a country for its regime. Fire rained down on the people. The Iranian people were punished by hitting a refinery in Tehran."
"IF MEDIATION WERE IN TURKEY, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED"
Pointing out Turkey's role in mediation, Çelik stated that the process could have progressed differently, saying, "If mediation were in Turkey under the leadership of our President, this would not have happened. Turkey is a country that receives support from the parties. If the table were set up in Istanbul, its weight would be different. The consequences of a ground operation would be terrible. This was also tried in Afghanistan."
"ISRAEL IS THREATENING THE REGION"
Çelik expressed that Israel's policies threaten regional security, stating, "They are threatening the region. Evaluations have been made regarding this for a long time, but Israel has no right or law to change maps or borders. We are on the side of peace, but we have a comprehensive preparation to protect ourselves. Turkey has been ready for a long time. Our response to threats of war is Turkey's strength."
Çelik also spoke about images related to the support of war with religious symbols in the US, stating, "War is not sanctified with prayer. Religious symbols supporting the war have taken the issue elsewhere."
MENTIONED LEADERSHIP CHANGE IN IRAN
Çelik also commented on the election of Mucteba Hamaney as the new religious leader by the Assembly of Experts in Iran. Regarding the issue, he said, "It is necessary to understand Iran's system. A very radical change in policy should not be expected. To say that this or that person being the religious leader will change the policy in this way means not knowing Iran very well. There is a body called the Assembly of Experts. Sooner or later, everyone will be in search of stopping this war and re-establishing the table. It does not change Iran's stance."
STATEMENT ON THE MISSILE AIMED AT TURKEY
Çelik also spoke about a missile fired from Iran that was reported to be directed at Turkey, which was neutralized in the air last week, saying, "The missile was shot down because it targeted Turkish airspace. The target is evaluated to be in the south. They say they are targeting American bases. It is seen that there is no consolidated approach in Iran. There is a contradiction between Iranian President Pezeshkian and the deputies. We are preserving our rights. Turkey does not excuse any attack directed at it for any reason."
"KURDS IN IRAN AND TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE DIFFERENT"
Çelik stated that the Kurds in Iran and terrorist organizations should be evaluated separately, saying, "Our Kurdish brothers in Iran are different from terrorist organizations. They are not a Kurdish group, they are terrorists. Drawing conclusions from chaos is disastrous. We are against those who target Iran's territorial integrity."
DEPLOYMENT OF F-16S TO TRNC
Çelik also spoke about Turkey's deployment of F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems to the TRNC, stating that this step is for security purposes. Çelik said, "This step does not target anyone, it is only for security. The situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is clear. We must consider the security of the TRNC. The Greek side is one of the closest parties to Zionist aggression. We do not take seriously what the Greek Cypriots and Greece are doing."