Politics
TRNC speaker accuses Greek Cypriots of ‘overreaching’ amid Iran war
The speaker of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Parliament said Thursday that rising tensions in the Middle East and growing military cooperation between the Greek Cypriot administration and its Western partners are placing the island at greater risk, accusing the Greek Cypriot administration of “attempting to take on more than it can handle.”
Speaking on a local television program, TRNC Assembly Speaker Ziya Öztürkler said the latest regional developments marked the beginning of a new phase for the Eastern Mediterranean and underscored the need for a stronger TRNC.
“The Greek Cypriot administration has attempted to take on tasks beyond its capacity,” Öztürkler said, referring to the Greek Cypriot alignment with Israel and Western powers during the escalating conflict between Iran and a U.S.-Israel coalition.
Regional tensions surged after the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on Saturday, triggering retaliation by Tehran on U.S. military targets across the region.
Öztürkler said the involvement of the United Kingdom, which maintains two sovereign military bases on the island, alongside the U.S. and Israel, had heightened the risk of the island of Cyprus being drawn into the conflict.
British facilities on the island, particularly the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri, have played an important logistical role in Western military operations in the Middle East in recent years. Iranian forces have warned that installations linked to Western operations could become targets if regional hostilities escalate.
“The rising tensions could fundamentally alter regional balances,” Öztürkler said. “The United Kingdom siding with Israel and the United States through its bases, and the Greek Cypriot administration’s cooperation with Israel, place the island directly at risk.”
The TRNC leadership has held a series of security meetings in response to the crisis, he added, focusing on crisis management, coordination with Türkiye and the preparedness of civil defense mechanisms.
Officials have reassessed emergency planning and civil protection measures to ensure the safety of residents, he said.
Öztürkler argued that recent developments had again highlighted the importance of the presence of Turkish troops on the island and Türkiye’s role as a guarantor power under the framework established after the island’s division in 1974.
“The importance of Turkish troops and Türkiye’s guarantor status has once again become clear,” he said, calling them a fundamental pillar of the TRNC’s security policy.
Cyprus has remained divided for more than five decades between the Turkish Cypriot north and the Greek Cypriot south despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement. The TRNC was established in 1983 and is recognized only by Türkiye, while the Greek Cypriot administration represents the island internationally and joined the European Union in 2004.
Turkish officials and leaders in Turkish Cyprus have increasingly advocated a two-state solution to the dispute, arguing that decades of United Nations-led negotiations for a federal settlement have failed to produce results.
Öztürkler said recent geopolitical developments were further reinforcing the “two-state reality” on the island.
“The reality of two states on the island is becoming increasingly clear,” he said, adding that the TRNC should take new steps to strengthen its international legitimacy and visibility.
The speaker also referred to recent talks in Ankara, where he met Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler. The meetings focused on parliamentary cooperation as well as regional security issues.
Öztürkler said the discussions highlighted the close ties between Türkiye and Turkish Cyprus and emphasized continued coordination between the two sides as tensions in the Middle East reshape security dynamics across the Eastern Mediterranean.
NATO member Türkiye said Thursday it remains committed to regional stability but reserves the right to respond to hostile actions regardless of their origin, after a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkish territory was intercepted by NATO air defenses.
The missile, fired from Iran on Wednesday and passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace, was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense systems deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Turkish officials.
Fragments that fell in the Dörtyol district of Hatay province after the interception belonged to an air defense missile used in the operation. No casualties were reported.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi following the interception.
According to Foreign Ministry sources, Fidan conveyed Türkiye’s reaction to the incident and stressed the importance of avoiding steps that could escalate tensions or trigger a wider regional conflict.
Iran on Thursday rejected accusations that it launched a ballistic missile toward NATO-member Türkiye.
The Iranian General Staff of the Armed Forces said Türkiye’s accounts of a missile fired toward Turkish territory were false and were “firmly rejected.”
Iran’s armed forces respect the sovereignty of neighboring and friendly country Türkiye, the statement said.
On Wednesday, Türkiye said a NATO defense system intercepted a ballistic missile in its border region. Part of the interceptor missile fell in an open area in the province of Hatay. No injuries were reported.
It remains unclear what the Iranian missile’s intended target may have been.
The New York Times, citing U.S. military officials, reported that the projectile may have been aimed at the key NATO air base in Incirlik.
Türkiye has largely remained neutral in the war with Iran. However, U.S. troops are stationed in the country. The NATO air base is located in Incirlik in the southern Turkish province of Adana.
According to U.S. figures, around 1,500 military personnel are stationed there. The base is considered an important military hub in the region.
Since the war began on Saturday, Iran has repeatedly attacked U.S. interests in the region, including military bases and diplomatic missions.
Deterrence capability
The missile incident came as Turkish leaders emphasized the need to maintain strong defense capabilities amid rising regional tensions.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday that Türkiye must continue strengthening its military deterrence to maintain peace and stability, stressing that the country’s status as an “island of stability” in a volatile region depends on the strength of its armed forces and defense capabilities.
He said authorities are taking comprehensive measures to protect Türkiye’s borders and airspace amid current tensions. Erdoğan added that Türkiye coordinated closely with NATO to address the missile incident and prevent similar events in the future.
The president said Türkiye had maintained its course despite embargoes and external pressures and remains determined to strengthen its capabilities while avoiding developments that could undermine national security.
“We will leave this country to our children as a nation they can be proud of,” Erdoğan said, pledging continued efforts to enhance Türkiye’s defense capacity and national resilience.
PJAK move
The Defense Ministry sources also said Ankara is closely monitoring the escalating tensions caused by the attacks by Israel and the United States, emphasizing that regional problems can only be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means. They reiterated that Türkiye is ready to contribute to efforts aimed at a solution.
Türkiye is also closely watching the activities of the PJAK, the Iranian branch of the PKK terrorist group, the sources said, noting that the group’s actions threaten Iran’s security and regional stability.
The statement followed reports of discussions between the PJAK and the U.S. about the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
On Tuesday, sources told Reuters that the PJAK had consulted with the U.S. about whether and how to target Iranian security positions in the western part of the country.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S., the U.K. and the EU and has been responsible for more than 40,000 deaths.
In May, the group announced its dissolution and the end of its four-decade terror campaign that cost tens of thousands of lives in Türkiye as well as in Iraq and Syria.
In Syria, the PKK operates through its local offshoot, the YPG, which has been allied with the U.S. for more than a decade under the pretext of fighting Daesh terrorists. Washington’s support for the group has been a source of tension with Ankara, which has repeatedly urged its NATO ally to cut ties with the PKK/YPG.
The YPG agreed to integrate into the new Syrian army following clashes in northern Syria earlier in January.
The ministry sources also said no unusual activity or troop buildup had been observed along the Türkiye-Iran border despite the ongoing conflict between Iran and the U.S.-Israel alliance, adding that all necessary precautions have been taken at the highest level.
Türkiye must continuously strengthen its military deterrence to ensure peace and stability, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, arguing that the country’s ability to remain an “island of stability” in a volatile region depends on the strength of its armed forces and defense capabilities.
Speaking about regional security challenges amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s stability is rooted in its national character and the deterrent power of the Turkish Armed Forces. He emphasized that Ankara is committed to further strengthening the military through sustained investment and support.
Erdoğan noted that Türkiye recently achieved record levels in defense and aerospace exports and that the Turkish Armed Forces received praise from allies during a NATO exercise in Germany. He added that such achievements would not have been possible if Türkiye had listened to critics who opposed missile testing and military development.
The president also said authorities are taking comprehensive measures to protect the country’s borders and airspace amid current tensions. He noted that Türkiye coordinated closely with NATO to address the incident involving a missile launched by Iran heading toward Türkiye and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye has maintained its course despite embargoes and external pressures, saying the country remains determined to strengthen its capabilities and avoid traps that could undermine national security.
“We will leave this country to our children as a nation they can be proud of,” he said, pledging continued efforts to enhance Türkiye’s defense capacity and national resilience.
A ballistic projectile fired from Iran and heading toward Turkish airspace was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense elements deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
Türkiye will continue advocating peace, stability and balance in an increasingly volatile region while closely monitoring developments, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Wednesday, warning that the coming period could bring greater instability and crises.
Speaking at an iftar gathering with representatives of civil society organizations at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Kurtulmuş said Türkiye faced a challenging geopolitical environment but would avoid rhetoric that fuels conflict.
“As Türkiye, we will closely follow all developments in this region,” Kurtulmuş said. “But we will never engage in war-mongering or heed voices that feed off crisis and chaos. We will continue to present our ideas for peace, justice, prosperity, balance and stability on every platform.”
The speaker’s remarks came as tensions have risen across the Middle East following recent military escalation involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The conflict has heightened concerns about broader regional instability affecting the Eastern Mediterranean and neighboring areas.
Kurtulmuş said the world appeared to be entering a period marked by deeper complexity and uncertainty, noting that the region surrounding Türkiye remained among the most difficult in the world.
“To speak confidently about these principles, Türkiye must be strong and firmly grounded,” he said, adding that the country must mobilize all available resources to strengthen its position in a rapidly changing international environment.
He emphasized that national unity and social solidarity were central to Türkiye’s strength.
“If we keep our ranks tight, strengthen the brotherhood and shared destiny among us, and treat our differences as a source of unity rather than division, we can build strong social cohesion at home,” he said.
Kurtulmuş described this effort as “fortifying the inner fortress,” explaining that it meant strengthening democracy, listening to different voices and reinforcing shared patriotic values
“If we succeed in doing this, Türkiye will stand firmly and strongly in this geography,” he added.
Kurtulmuş said the evolving global environment also highlighted what he described as the weakening of international institutions and the erosion of rules governing international relations.
“The institutions of the existing international system have been shattered,” he said, arguing that many organizations established to resolve global disputes were no longer functioning effectively.
“No one even knows whether the United Nations General Assembly convened after attacks on Iran,” he said, referring to recent strikes carried out by the United States and Israel. “Whether it meets or not seems to make no difference.”
Kurtulmuş also criticized what he described as the declining influence of international bodies responsible for regulating trade and protecting cultural heritage, saying global governance mechanisms had become increasingly ineffective.
He pointed to Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gaza and the broader Palestinian territories as examples of what he called the failure of international institutions to respond effectively to violations of humanitarian norms.
“International rules have also been dismantled,” he said, arguing that the use of military power increasingly allowed countries to ignore established norms of sovereignty and international law.
Kurtulmuş also warned that concepts traditionally used in international law, such as proportionality in armed conflict, were being distorted.
“The concept of proportionality once meant that even in war there were limits,” he said. “Today, it is being used as a justification for destruction, massacres and actions that cause immense suffering.”
Despite these challenges, Kurtulmuş said Türkiye would continue to advocate diplomacy and stability while strengthening its internal cohesion and national capacity.
“Our responsibility is to remain strong and continue defending peace and justice in this difficult region,” he said.
The interception of a ballistic missile headed toward Türkiye does not currently justify invoking NATO’s Article 5 collective defense clause, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Thursday, stressing that the alliance remains vigilant as regional tensions escalate.
“Nobody’s talking about Article 5,” Rutte said. “The most important thing is that our adversaries have seen yesterday that NATO is so strong and so vigilant, and even more vigilant, if possible, since Saturday.”
Türkiye said NATO air defenses destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile as it headed into Turkish airspace, marking the first time the alliance member has been drawn into the Middle East conflict and raising the possibility of an expansion involving its bloc allies.
The Iranian Armed Forces General Staff on Thursday denied it had fired missiles at Türkiye, saying the Islamic Republic respected the sovereignty of “friendly” Türkiye, according to a statement carried by Iranian media.
NATO’s Article 5 specifies that an attack on one of the alliance’s members is an attack on all the others.
Rutte said NATO supports the U.S. in its strikes against Iran as the country was “close to becoming a threat to Europe as well.”
As the U.S.-Iran war entered its sixth day, the conflict has widened beyond Gulf states and into Asia, convulsing global markets and prompting thousands of stranded tourists and residents to try to flee the Middle East.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that the ongoing conflict in Iran could destabilize both the region and the wider world during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, stressing the need to strengthen diplomacy and return to negotiations.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Directorate said the two leaders discussed bilateral relations between Türkiye and France, as well as regional conflicts and broader global issues.
Erdoğan said Ankara is closely monitoring developments in Iran and expressed concern over civilian casualties. He added that Türkiye views the possible spread of the conflict across the region as unacceptable.
The Turkish president emphasized that prolonging the fighting would become a source of instability for both the region and the international community. He said Türkiye has been actively working to strengthen diplomatic channels and encourage a return to negotiations.
Erdoğan also noted that ongoing conflicts in the region and elsewhere highlight the importance of deeper defense cooperation among NATO allies. He said long-delayed joint steps in the defense industry should be accelerated to strengthen the alliance’s collective security.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye has issued the necessary warnings to Iran, urging Tehran to recognize the value of Ankara’s friendship and avoid actions that could harm the bonds of brotherhood, as the regional crisis deepens.
“We have issued the necessary warnings to Iran; Türkiye’s friendship should be valued and no one should act in a way that harms the bonds of brotherhood,” Erdoğan said at an iftar with tradespeople in the capital Ankara.
Speaking on the latest developments, Erdoğan said the world is experiencing an unprecedented period marked by growing wars and conflicts. He criticized the international community – particularly Western countries – for largely remaining passive in the face of escalating violence.
The Turkish president said regional tensions intensified significantly after airstrikes targeting Iran, noting that hundreds of civilians, including children, have lost their lives. He warned that Iran’s missile and drone attacks on countries in the region risk spreading the conflict across a much wider area.
Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye is closely monitoring the situation and stressed that no party should take steps that could damage relations built on brotherhood or further destabilize the region.
A ballistic munition fired from Iran and directed toward Turkish airspace on Wednesday was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry said earlier.
The ongoing U.S.-Israel offensive, launched against Iran on Saturday, has killed several top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel and U.S.-linked sites in Gulf countries.
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