Ankara: Turkey has denied claims circulating in some media outlets regarding its alleged plans to occupy Iranian territory under the pretext of security concerns should the United States launch an attack on Iran, asserting that these claims fall under the category of disinformation.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Disinformation Center of the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications stated in a statement published early Wednesday morning on the “InSocial” platform that the claims circulating about Ankara’s intention to seize Iranian territory are baseless.

The center clarified that the claims published by some media outlets that “Turkey is planning to occupy Iranian territory for security reasons in the event of a US attack on Iran” are “disinformation.”

The center added: ‘Turkey, which has always respected the territorial integrity and sovereignty of neighboring countries, takes the necessary measures to ensure the security of its borders around the clock, whether in times of crisis or otherwise. It is important that the public does not believe unverified claims and that it considers the statements of official institutions.’

For weeks, the United States, at the instigation of Israel, has been reinforcing its military presence in the Middle East and threatening military action against Iran to force it to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and its “proxies in the region.”

Tehran believes that Washington and Israel are fabricating pretexts for intervention and regime change in Iran and vows to respond to any military attack, even a limited one, while insisting on the lifting of Western economic sanctions in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.