Refugees in Turkey: nationals are arriving in Turkey through the Razi-Kapikoy border crossing

Turkey’s Strategic Position in the Crisis

As a NATO member sharing a long border with Iran, Turkey faces a delicate geopolitical balancing act. The government in Ankara has:

• Called for de-escalation between all parties.

• Denied allowing its territory or airspace to be used for military operations.

• Maintained cargo trade routes to avoid economic collapse in border regions.

• Strengthened border security infrastructure.

Turkey’s eastern province of Van has previous experience managing migration flows, including during the Syrian civil war. However, authorities emphasize that this current movement is not yet classified as a “refugee crisis” but rather precautionary departures.