‘NATO radar system cause for concern’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says the potential deployment of a NATO radar system in Turkey is a cause for concern for Iran and its neighboring countries.

“The issue of the radar system, which will be set up in Turkey, has caused concern for Iran and [its] neighboring states,” Salehi said on Saturday in the capital, Tehran, IRNA reported.

“We do not perceive such a system necessary under the current circumstances, when [we] are witnessing [certain] developments in the region, and we consider such a decision questionable,” he added.

The ‘early warning’ radar system, which belongs to the US-led NATO military alliance, is reportedly to become operational in Turkey by the end of this year.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry says the plan is in line with NATO’s ‘New Strategic Concept’ adopted by the alliance’s leaders in a summit in Lisbon, Portugal, last year.

Salehi went on to advise Turkish officials to “deliberate on this decision.”

Russia has also criticized the plan and denounced the Western military alliance’s efforts to advance eastward.

The Russian Foreign Ministry says Turkey’s collaboration with NATO would mark another step in the direction of deploying “the European segment of a global US missile defense system.”