Coups doomed to fail: Iran's foreign minister

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has voiced “deep concern” about the ongoing coup attempt in neighboring Turkey, saying the region is no place for putsches.

“Deeply concerned about the crisis in Turkey. Stability, democracy & safety of Turkish people are paramount. Unity & prudence are imperative,” Zarif wrote on his official Twitter page on Friday night.

“Turkish people’s brave defense of democracy & their elected government proves that coups have no place in our region and are doomed to fail,” he tweeted hours later.

A faction of the Turkish military declared last night that it had fully seized control of the country and that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim were no more in charge.

Erdogan and Yildirim, however, have declared the coup a failed one and said they remain in power.

Nevertheless, gunfire, bomb explosions and military airstrikes continue to be reported in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Iran’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, meanwhile, wished “security and stability” for Turkey, and said the Islamic Republic is closely monitoring the developments there.

“Our military, security, and intelligence forces have been put on alert to the necessary extent. Our borders are completely under control,” he said.

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani also said the Islamic Republic is concerned about the situation in Turkey, adding that Iran is in full control of all its ground and aerial borders with Turkey.

He further said that Tehran believes the Turkish nation’s security and peace will be jeopardized by instability in the country.

On Saturday, the SNSC said it would convene to discuss the developments in Turkey.

Council Spokesman Keivan Khosravi said Zarif was keeping close contact with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu as a means of keeping an eye on the developments and enabling the adoption of the due political and security measures.

Hailing the constructive role played by Turkish people in supporting the country’s democracy and stability, Khosravi reasserted Tehran’s position of condemning the anti-government push in neighboring Turkey.

Sixty people have been reported killed in the putsch in Turkey so far.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Consulate General in the city of Erzurum in eastern Turkey, Hossein Qassemi said the common border between Iran and Turkey had been closed off.

He said the Gurbulak border terminal is closed off to passengers and that Turkish customs officials have left the post.

The Iranian Embassy in Ankara has also advised Turkey-based Iranians to stay at their residences and mind the security situation.

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