ISTANBUL, January 12. /TASS/. Turkey proceeds from the understanding that the problems Iran is facing today should be resolved without external interference, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik told reporters.

"We do not want chaos in neighboring Iran. We emphasize the importance of ensuring stability there. These [stability] problems should not be resolved through external interference. Any possible external interference will only worsen the situation in Iran," Celik said after a meeting of the party’s executive committee, which was chaired by party leader and President Tayyip Erdogan.

Celik criticized statements directed at Iran coming from Israel. "Looking at the statements of Israeli officials toward Iran, we see that they have taken a harsh stance that will lead to even more problems throughout the region," he noted.

On December 29, 2025, merchants began protesting in Tehran over a sharp decline in the value of the Iranian rial. On December 30, university students joined the unrest, which engulfed the majority of major cities. The protests peaked on the night of January 8, when at least 13 civilians, including a three-year-old child, were killed as a result of rioters’ actions. The authorities also announced the death of 38 law enforcement officers. Tehran labelled the rioters as terrorists and placed responsibility for the unrest on Israel and the United States.

Previously, Donald Trump told reporters that the US is seriously considering some kind of response to events in Iran. He is expected to be presented with a range of options involving the use of force, including strikes on targets on Iranian territory, on January 13.