Turkey has drawn up contingency plans to manage a potential influx of people fleeing conflict in neighboring Iran, Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said.
Speaking in Ankara, Ciftci outlined three scenarios prepared by authorities. The first involves managing any possible migrant movement on the Iranian side of the border. The second предусматри creating buffer zones along the frontier if flows cannot be contained. The third would allow people to enter Turkey under controlled conditions.
He added that Turkey has prepared initial capacity to host up to 90,000 people in the event of a sudden inflow, including tent camps and temporary accommodation centers.
At present, there is no unusual movement reported at the three official border gates between Turkey and Iran, according to the minister. However, a Reuters witness reported seeing hundreds of Iranians crossing into Turkey earlier this week, with others waiting at the frontier.
Ciftci also said Turkish authorities had been informed that Iran was restricting its own citizens from leaving the country, while allowing Turkish nationals and third-country citizens to exit.
Official figures cited by the minister show that between March 1 and 3, 5,010 people entered Turkey while 5,495 people exited.