Türkiye's president says troops from Europe sent to Cyprus over Iran war should not be permanent

Military elements deployed to Cyprus by some European countries under the pretext of the Iran war should not become permanent, Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a meeting with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Tufan Erhurman on Thursday, an official statement said.

Erdogan stressed that Türkiye is ready to take all necessary steps to defend the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, adding that Ankara will never allow the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots to be violated, according to a statement by the Communications Directorate.

The meeting was held at the Presidential Dolmabahce Office in Istanbul, the statement said.

Erdogan and Erhurman discussed bilateral ties and regional issues, it noted.

Erdogan was accompanied by National Intelligence Organization head Ibrahim Kalin, foreign policy and security adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, and chief advisor Zafer Cubukcu.