Türkiye vigilant against migratory population movement amid Israel-Iran conflict

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye, which hosts millions of refugees, is vigilant against any potential migratory population movement at its long border with Iran amid Tehran's escalating conflict with Israel, officials and experts said.

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, who inspected troops in the eastern Turkish province of Van on Wednesday, said that his country has boosted its border security amid ongoing hostilities.

According to the Turkish presidential communications office, there is "no unusual activity, congestion, or irregular crossing."

While no significant refugee movement has been observed at the Turkish-Iranian border, a Turkish diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that "Türkiye has well established contingency plans and remains vigilant in the face of new developments."

Although no big influx of Iranians have been reported at land border crossings in Van, experts warn that further escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict could have consequences for Türkiye.

"The escalation of the crisis and the bombing of cities and civilian-populated areas could lead to population movements," said Metin Corabatir, a migration expert and head of the Ankara-based Research Center on Asylum and Migration.

Corabatir recalled that during and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, some 2 million Iranians passed through Türkiye on their way to the West.

Türkiye is a popular destination for Iranian travelers, who can stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa for tourism purposes.

Corabatir noted that all large-scale population movements tend to create social and economic disruptions, but emphasized that Türkiye has extensive experience in managing refugee situations.

Ali Oguz Dirioz, an associate professor of international relations from Ankara's TOBB University of Economics and Technology, noted that if larger groups of Iranians were to arrive, their stay would likely be temporary, unlike the case of Syrians, many of whom have remained in Türkiye after fleeing a prolonged and devastating civil war.

Türkiye has not released any official data on arrivals from Iran since Israel launched airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear program and military officials on June 13, which triggered the current exchange of attacks.

Türkiye, which has a 570-kilometer border with Iran, has denounced Israel's strikes on Iran, calling them a breach of international law.

According to figures released by the UN refugee agency in March, Türkiye currently hosts 2.8 million Syrian refugees. In addition, tens of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from other countries, such as Afghanistan and Iraq, also reside in Türkiye, further contributing to the country's already significant refugee burden. ■