TRT chief's 'disturb Iran' remarks spark outrage, IRIB World Service head seeks clarification

Taking strong exception to remarks made by the head of Turkey's state broadcaster, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) World Service has called on Turkish government officials to denounce and clarify these statements.

During an event at Bursa Uludag University, Mehmet Zahid Sobaci, General Director of TRT, announced plans to launch a Persian language channel for the Turkish broadcaster with the aim of "disturbing" Iran.

“We will launch the TRT Persian channel by the end of this year. We must disturb Iran; we are obliged to disturb Iran,” Sobaci remarked.

Ahmad Noroozi, president of IRIB World Service, took to X (formerly Twitter) to censure Sobaci's inflammatory remarks. 

Noroozi emphasized that while Iranian media is committed to covering developments in the region—particularly the genocidal war of the Zionist regime in Palestine and Lebanon—it will not remain indifferent to provocative statements against Iran.

"While we remain focused on reporting daily massacres by the Zionist regime in Palestine and Lebanon and undistracted by unhealthy and imprudent remarks, we reserve the right to take appropriate reciprocal measures," he wrote. 

"We at IRIB hope Turkish officials would rightly condemn and clarify it." 

Sobaci's comments have sparked widespread outrage in both Turkey and Iran, with many calling for his removal as the head of the Turkish state broadcaster.

In his statement, Doğu Perinçek, leader of Turkey’s Patriotic Party (VP) and an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, demanded Sobaci's immediate dismissal. 

He said the remarks were "unworthy of a statesman" and could only come from supporters of the United States and the Israeli regime.

Perinçek emphasized that friendship with Iran is "essential" for Turkey, noting that there is "no solution to US plans in the region without Iran." 

He added that the establishment of the TRT Persian channel should strengthen friendly ties between Iran and Turkey, serving as a joint media outlet against US-Israel-centered threats in West Asia.

Dr. Seyfullah Turksoy, a Turkish journalist who shared Sobaci's speech on X, criticized the "reckless and threatening language against a neighboring country."

"How should we interpret such a tone when Iranian missiles are striking Israel? In a time of turmoil in the Middle East, who benefits from being adversarial towards Iran or stirring up trouble there?" he wrote. 

Turksoy also noted that Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian is "sending positive messages" to Turkey, suggesting that Ankara should "learn lessons from past mistakes concerning Syria."

"Shouldn’t we seek to enhance friendship and cooperation with Iran against the agents of global imperialism and Zionism?" he noted. 

Prof. Hassan Unal, a Turkish foreign policy analyst, also denounced Sobaci's remarks, asserting that there is "nothing compatible with Turkey's national interests in disturbing Iran."

"If we disturb Iran, it will disturb us in return. Only the US and Israel would be pleased. Under normal circumstances, those living in glass houses do not throw stones at their neighbors."

Ali Heydari, a journalist based in Tehran, stated that the Iranian embassy in Turkey should lodge an official protest regarding Sobaci's comments.

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