Iran Rebukes Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Over Israel Comparison

Iran's foreign ministry rejected Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's analogy that Iran's regional policy mirrors Israel's actions. Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking at a weekly press briefing, described the comparison as "astonishing" and warned that such narratives could serve Israeli interests. Fidan had claimed Iran pursues a pre‑emptive security policy by maintaining proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas, likening it to Israel's occupation of parts of the region for security.

Baghaei countered that Iran has no proxies in the region and that the only proxy is the "Zionist regime" itself. He urged Turkish officials to align their analyses with on‑the‑ground realities and to refrain from repeating statements that could be exploited by Israel's expansionist policies.