Turkey’s leadership on February 28 remained silent in the wake of the major “Operation Epic Fury” military attack on Iran mounted by the US and Israel.

Ahead of the missile strikes, Turkey urged Washington to refrain from starting a conflict, saying it would have the potential to escalate into a regional war, but faced with the reality that its advice had not been heeded, Ankara, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by evening hours had not responded.

Pro-Turkish government Daily Sabah reported on the afternoon of February 28 that a Turkish foreign ministry source said Turkey’s top diplomat Hakan Fidan had “discussed the recent developments in the region with counterparts from across the Middle East”.

Fidan was said by the source to have held phone calls with the foreign ministers of Iran, Saudia Arabia, Qatar, Syria and others, to discuss steps that could be taken in order to end the US and Israeli attacks on Turkey’s neighbour Iran.

Ahead of the attack on Iran – which prompted Tehran to launch retaliatory missile attacks largely aimed at US military bases across the Gulf region – Turkey denied speculation that in the event of war breaking out, it might send troops across the border into Iranian territory to forestall a potential refugee influx.

A Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters that "all scenarios are being reviewed" but insisted any step that would breach Iran’s sovereignty was "out of the question".

While the Turkish government stayed silent in the aftermath of the US and Israel strikes on Iran, Ozgur Ozel, leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), did not.

He condemned the military action against Iran and said Turkey should pursue careful diplomacy that protects civilians and respects Iran’s territorial integrity.

Speaking at a CHP rally in Burdur province in southwest Turkey, Ozel, as reported by Turkish Minute, said that while Iran’s record on women’s rights and its treatment of its own people are widely criticised, that did not give US President Donald Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the right to assert that they were “saving” Iranians.

Iran’s future should be decided by Iranians, said Ozel, with any democratic change in the Islamic Republic something that should come from within, and not through outside military action.

In other developments, Turkey, a Nato member, stated that it had in no way assisted with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Officials said its airspace, territory and military bases were not used in the military operations.

Two journalists, meanwhile, were, bianet reported, detained after running a livestream of Incirlik Airbase, a facility used by both the Turkish and US air forces, located in Adana, southern Turkey.

Following the start of hostilities, Turkish Airlines announced the suspension of flights to 10 locations across the Middle East.