After being excluded from the F-35 program .. Turkey informs Washington of its discomfort and is studying alternatives

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Turkey will continue to assess alternatives and all options are on the table, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalan said on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Turkish presidency, Kallan's remarks came during a telephone conversation with US National Security Advisor John Bolton, during which they discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.

The statement said that the suspension of the Turkish role in the program F-35 aircraft is not in line with the statements of the heads of the two countries, adding that Turkish-US relations can not proceed properly through dictates unilaterally.

The United States said on Wednesday it had canceled Turkey's participation in the program after receiving parts of Russia's S-400 missile defense system.

Evaluation of alternatives
In the same context, the head of Turkish defense industries Ismail Demir said his country will continue to evaluate alternatives and that all options are on the table, adding that his country is committed to all the agreements signed by them.

"We have paid so far all the dues related to the F-35 fighter program and we have fulfilled our duties in this regard," he told reporters, adding that the United States decision was "unilateral and has no place in any way in the agreements and memorandums of understanding concluded, .

Demir said that Turkey will wait for the decision to be issued in a formal and written form, and that there is currently no information on the basis of the decision. "I do not think that the decision can be discussed, but we will wait for it and we will have correspondence," he said.

Turkey was aware of its responsibilities to the program and would continue to meet them and would consider the steps to be taken following that resolution.

On the possible repercussions, Demir said that the cost will rise by about seven to eight million dollars for one fighter if Turkey is excluded from the program, stressing the need to reflect how to reflect the additional financial burden that will be imposed on other countries participating in the program if Turkey is excluded.

"They should think about the delay in delivery of the aircraft in the future because of the process of finding new products (for the pieces produced by the Turkish companies)," he said, adding that the decision would cause temporary difficulties for the Turkish defense industries, but in the end will increase its strength more.