'We must disturb Iran': TRT chief's remarks spark outrage
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General Director of Turkiye's state broadcaster TRT Mehmet Zahid Sobaci announced plans to launch a Persian-language channel aimed at "disturbing" Iran, a statement that has drawn sharp criticism from Iranian and Turkish officials alike.
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Mehmet Zahid Sobaci, General Director of TRT, delivers a speech at Bursa Uludag University, October 13, 2024. (@zahidsobaci)
Tensions between Iran and Turkiye escalated on Sunday after inflammatory remarks by Mehmet Zahid Sobaci, General Director of Turkiye's state broadcaster TRT, sparked outrage in both countries.
During an event at Bursa Uludag University, Sobaci announced plans to launch a Persian-language channel aimed at "disturbing" Iran, a statement that has drawn sharp criticism from Iranian and Turkish officials alike.
"We will launch the TRT Persian channel by the end of this year. We must disturb Iran; we are obliged to disturb Iran," Sobaci declared, according to reports. His comments have been widely condemned, with many calling for his removal from office.
Ahmad Noroozi, president of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) World Service, took to X (formerly Twitter) to strongly condemn the remarks. Noroozi stressed that while Iranian media remains focused on covering the region, particularly the ongoing violence by the Zionist regime in Palestine and Lebanon, they will not ignore such provocations.
"We remain focused on reporting daily massacres by the Zionist regime, but we reserve the right to take appropriate reciprocal measures" Noroozi said. He also called on Turkish officials to condemn and clarify Sobaci's statement.
While we remain focused on reporting daily massacres by the Zionist regime in Palestine & Lebanon & undistracted by unhealthy & imprudent remarks, we reserve the right to take appropriate reciprocal measures. We at IRIB hope Turkish officials would rightly condemn & clarify it. https://t.co/A9AVp6kwJr
— Ahmad Noroozi (@ANoroozee) October 13, 2024
The remarks also drew backlash within Turkiye. Dogu Perincek, leader of Turkiye's Patriotic Party (VP) and a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demanded Sobaci's immediate dismissal, calling his remarks "unworthy of a statesman." Perincek stressed the importance of maintaining friendly relations with Iran, asserting that "there is no solution to US plans in the region without Iran."
Turkish journalist Dr. Seyfullah Turksoy also criticized Sobaci's tone, questioning its logic at a time when Middle Eastern tensions are high. "How should we interpret such a tone when Iranian missiles are striking Israel? In a time of turmoil in the Middle East, who benefits from being adversarial towards Iran?" Turksoy wrote.
Prof. Hassan Unal, a Turkish foreign policy analyst, similarly condemned Sobaci's remarks, stating that they contradict Turkiye's national interests. "If we disturb Iran, it will disturb us in return. Only the US and Israel would be pleased," Unal remarked.
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In Iran, the backlash has been equally intense. Ali Heydari, a Tehran-based journalist, called for the Iranian embassy in Turkiye to lodge an official protest, adding that Sobaci's remarks could seriously damage bilateral relations.
