NATO Secretary General Rutte Visits Turkey, Emphasizes Necessary Measures to Defend Member States

(CNA, Ankara 22nd) North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte stated today that NATO will "take all necessary measures" to defend member states, including Turkey. Over the past few weeks, NATO has intercepted four missiles launched from Iran heading toward Turkish airspace.

According to Agence France-Presse, Mark Rutte's visit to Turkey is a preparatory trip ahead of the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara in July. During this trip, he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Although Turkey is a US-led NATO member state and shares a border with Iran, prior to the US-Iran ceasefire taking effect, Turkey did not experience retaliatory actions from Tehran as other countries in the Middle East did.

NATO forces had previously shot down Iranian ballistic missiles four times. As a result, NATO deployed a new Patriot missile defense system at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.

Rutte told reporters while visiting Turkey's largest defense electronics company, Aselsan, that "Iran is spreading terror and chaos, which is felt especially here in Turkey." "NATO is prepared to respond to such threats and will always take all necessary measures to defend Turkey and all other member states." (Translated by: Kao Chao-fen / Edited by: Liu Shu-chin) 1150422