Turkey warns that external interventions in Iran could exacerbate existing crises and urges negotiations between the USA and Iran, in the context of massive protests in the country.

On January 12, 2026, a protester set fire to a photograph of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in front of the Iranian embassy in London, as Iran faces the largest demonstrations since 2022. Turkey, through the spokesperson of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Omer Celik, warned that any foreign intervention, especially from Israel, could lead to more serious crises in Iran and the region. Celik emphasized the importance of resolving issues through the national will of the Iranians.

Additionally, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan mentioned that the protests, which have evolved from economic grievances to calls for the change of clerical institutions, are also influenced from abroad. The human rights group HRANA reported 544 deaths and 10,681 arrests since the protests began, figures that have not been independently verified by Reuters.