Tehran slams Ankara for agreeing to host NATO missile shield

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Iran has criticized Turkey for its decision to host NATO missile defense elements on its soil, the Mehr News Agency reported on Saturday.

Maj. General Yahya Safavi, former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, said Turkey was on the wrong track.

Turkey’s decision is a “strategic mistake” that would send a clear message both to Iran and Russia, “but more to Iran,” he said.

He did not say what the message was.

In September, Turkey agreed to host an early warning radar in the southeast of the country as part of NATO's missile defense system.

The system is capable of countering ballistic missile threats from Iran.