Turkey is preparing for the possibility of an influx of refugees from Iran, Bloomberg has reported, as the US is preparing to launch a potential attack on the Islamic Republic, which could spark a full-blown regional war.
Bloomberg’s sources said that officials in Ankara have updated their contingency plans to prepare for large numbers of displaced people in the event of a major conflict, and options range from setting up camps near the border to entering Iranian territory to prevent refugees from crossing into Turkey.
The report said that the possibility of Turkey sending forces into Iran to stop refugees would only be considered if there was a power vacuum in Iran.
The Bloomberg report also said that NATO’s air surveillance forces have shifted their focus from keeping an eye on Russia to Iran. “The alliance has frequently used its advanced AWACS radar planes based in Turkey to keep tabs on both countries. However, the frequency of flights from the central Anatolian city of Konya to watch Iran has increased,” the report reads.
Meanwhile, the US continues its massive military buildup in the region, shifting more than 150 military aircraft to Europe or the Middle East since February 17, as the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford is heading toward Israel in the Mediterranean Sea.
