Turkey says killing of Soleimani to fuel instability

Duvar English

The U.S. air strike in Baghdad which killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Qasem Soleimani will increase insecurity and instability in the region, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Jan. 3.

In a written statement, the ministry said that it was deeply concerned by the rising tensions between the United States and Iran, and that turning Iraq into an area of conflict will harm peace and stability in the region.

“It is obvious that the U.S. airstrike targeting the convoy of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps' Quds Force, and the people along with him in Baghdad early on Friday will escalate mistrust and instability in the region,” the statement said.

“Turkey has been always against foreign interventions, assassinations and sectarian clashes in the region. Therefore, we call on every party to act in common sense and show restraint, to avoid unilateral steps that will endanger the region's peace and stability and to give priority to diplomacy.”

Turkish presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın also released a statement on Jan. 3 regarding the issue, saying Turkey calls on all parties to act in common sense and avoid steps that will escalate tension. He also said that Turkey will continue to make full use of diplomacy to guarantee regional and global peace.

First reaction from Turkey to Soleimani's killing comes from the opposition

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik also urged all parties involved to show restraint. "The security and stability of Iraq is of vital importance for Turkey and the whole region. Actions that will increase the instability in Iraq are against the whole region's interests," Çelik said on Twitter.

Turkey advises citizens not to travel to Iraq

Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory on Jan. 3, asking its citizens to delay trips to Iraq amid the strained tension in the country.

“Ourcitizens are advised to refrain from traveling to Iraq at thispoint unless it is necessary,” the ministry said in astatement, citing the recent tension.

"It is recommended that our citizens currently in Iraq closely follow warnings issued by the ministry, avoid crowded places and be vigilant about their personal security," the statement added.

Meeting chaired by Erdoğan discusses US-Iran row

The U.S.-Iran row was one of the issues discussed at a meeting chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Jan. 3. in Istanbul's Dolmabahçe Palace.

Following the meeting, Fahrettin Altun, the presidential communications director, said that the meeting discussed the U.S.-Iran tension following the killing of Soleimani as well as recent developments in Iraq, Libya and Syria.

“Ourpresident emphasized that Turkey should continue to maintain itsconstructive attitude in the face regional developments, to takeeffective steps to ensure peace and stability and to use all thepotential of diplomacy,” Altun said in a written statement.

The high-level meeting was held in attendance of Vice President Fuat Oktay, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) chief Hakan Fidan, İbrahim Kalın and Fahrettin Altun.

Qasim Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone attack on Jan. 3. 

Soleimani, a 62-year-old general, was regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran on Jan. 3 to protest against the killing.

Chanting "death to America" and carrying posters of Soleimani, demonstrators marched through Iran's capital condemning "U.S. crimes."

The overnight attack, authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump, was a dramatic escalation in a "shadow war" in the Middle East between Iran and the United States and its allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike aimed to disrupt an "imminent attack" that would have endangered Americans in the Middle East. Democratic critics said the Republican president had raised the risk of more violence in a dangerous region.

Pompeo, in interviews on Fox News and CNN, declined to discuss many details of the alleged threat but said it was "an intelligence based assessment" that drove the decision to target Soleimani.

The attack also killed top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani.

It followed a sharp increase in longrunning U.S.-Iranian hostilities last week when pro-Iranian militiamen attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq following a U.S. air raid on the Kataib Hezbollah militia, founded by Muhandis.

Iraq's prime minister said that with the attack Washington had violated a deal for keeping U.S. troops in his country.

Israel put its army on high alert and U.S. allies in Europe including Britain, France and Germany voiced concerns about an escalation in tensions.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Soleimani was killed in a drone strike. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said he died in an attack by U.S. helicopters.

US embassy in Baghdad urges American citizens to depart Iraq

The U.S. embassy in Baghdad urged all American citizens to depart Iraq immediately.

Dozens of U.S. citizens working for foreign oil companies in the southern city of Basra were leaving the country. Iraqi officials said the evacuations would not affect output and exports were unaffected.

Oil prices jumped more than $3 a barrel over concern about disruption to Middle East supplies.

Khamenei said harsh revenge awaited the "criminals" who killed Soleimani and said his death would double resistance against the United States and Israel.

In statements on state media, he called for three days of national mourning and appointed Soleimani's deputy, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, to replace him as Quds Force head.

US sending 3,000 troops to region

Meanwhile, the U.S. is deploying roughly 3,000 additional troops to the Middle East, according to multiple reports published on Jan. 3.

The new deployment will include soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, the reports said citing anonymous defense and military officials. 

They will be sent to both Iraq and Kuwait, according to NBC News.