US Incirlik airbase may be shut; Erdogan

reporter 1222 — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:23:11 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to shut down the major US Incirlik airbase in response to Washington’s recognition of the Armenian “genocide” and the possible introduction of new sanctions against the country.

“If it is necessary for us to take such a step, of course, we have the authority…If this is necessary, together with our delegations, we will close down Incirlik if necessary,” Erdogan said on A Haber TV on Sunday.

The Turkish president also suggested that Turkey can also close down the Kurecik radar base if necessary.

“If they are threatening us with the implementation of these sanctions, of course, we will be retaliating,” he added.

The US-operated Incirlik airbase, situated south of Turkey, is known to be used by Washington to stockpile nuclear weapons. A powerful early-warning radar is also stationed in the southeastern Kurecik base.

The president’s remarks come a few days after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavisoglu also warned that Ankara may close the Incirlik base if the US imposes sanctions on the country.

The developments come after a US Senate committee backed legislation on Wednesday to impose sanctions on Turkey following its October offensive into northern Syrian and its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

On Thursday, the US Senate also voted unanimously to officially recognize the alleged mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire a century ago as “genocide”.

The nonbinding legislation had already passed the lower House of Representatives in October.

The Turkish government has historically denied the accusations, arguing that they do not take into account the death of Turks.

The post US Incirlik airbase may be shut; Erdogan appeared first on Iran News Daily.

No country can use Incirlik airbase against Iran

reporter 1222 — Sun, 17 Jun 2018 14:00:27 +0000

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced, “Incirlik airbase in Turkey is used only in line with fighting against terrorism, so that Turkey will not authorize any country to use this airbase to attack another country.”

He pointed to the US possible request to use Incirlik airbase to attack Iran, he said that his country will not allow US to use its airbase for the possible strike against Iran.

Yildirim emphasized that Turkey will allow its airbase to be used by another country only for fighting against terrorism, so that the US cannot use the airbase to attack any country.

As a military airport, Incirlik Airbase belongs to the Turkish Air Force which is located in Adana, southern Turkey.

The issue of existence of US nuclear bombs within the framework of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Incirlik airbase based in southeast Turkey has been put at the focal attention and criticism of civil activists in Turkey and international community especially after the collapse of Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) and the Cold War.

The post No country can use Incirlik airbase against Iran appeared first on Iran News Daily.

incirlik Archives - Iran News Daily

US Incirlik airbase may be shut; Erdogan

No country can use Incirlik airbase against Iran