Politics
Türkiye confirms 3rd missile from Iran shot down, seeks clarification
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry on Friday confirmed a third ballistic missile fired from Iran was shot down, saying Ankara was asking Tehran for clarification.
“A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the ministry said in a statement.
It assured all necessary measures were being taken and said Ankara was in touch with Tehran to clarify “all aspects of the incident.”
NATO has again intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile heading toward Türkiye, the alliance’s spokesperson Allison Hart said separately.
“NATO remains vigilant and stands firm in its defense of all allies,” Hart said.
There was no immediate comment from Iran, but it has so far repeatedly rejected deliberately targeting Türkiye amid its war with the U.S. and Israel.
A Turkish security source said there had been no casualties in the incident and no reports of any debris falling from the interception.
It was not immediately clear what was targeted, while Turkish media reported warning alarms sounded earlier on Friday around the Incirlik Air Base in southern Adana province, which also houses U.S. personnel.
Residents of Adana, which lies 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the base, were woken up at 3:25 a.m. (12:25 a.m. GMT) by sirens, which sounded for around five minutes, according to the Ekonomim business news website.
It said a red alert sounded at the base.
Several people posted mobile phone footage on social media of a fast-moving object that appeared to be on fire moving through the night sky as police and ambulance sirens wailed through the streets, it said.
Defense news platform SavunmaSanayiST said the objects were “believed to be fragments from a third ballistic missile” or from the interceptor, which had entered the atmosphere and burnt up before falling to the ground.
NATO had on Monday confirmed shooting down a second ballistic missile fired from Iran. The announcement came shortly after Washington said it was closing down its consulate in Adana, urging all American citizens to leave southeastern Türkiye.
Later that day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian phoned President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and denied the missile had been fired from Iran.
Since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran started, Tehran has launched strikes across the Middle East. Türkiye had appeared to have been spared.
The missiles increasingly pose a test for NATO member Ankara and the alliance. Türkiye, NATO’s second-largest army and Iran’s neighbor, has warned Tehran against any more attacks. It also protested to Tehran after every incident, while saying it does not want to be dragged into the war.
The Incirlik Air Base is an important NATO facility that has been used by U.S. troops for decades, but which also hosts military personnel, including from Spain and Poland, the base’s official website says.
U.S. troops are also stationed at Kürecik, another Turkish base in the central Malatya province, which houses an early-warning radar system that NATO describes as a “key element” of its missile shield, and which can detect Iranian missile launches.
Although Ankara has categorically denied that the radar data has ever been used to help Israel, its presence has rattled Tehran.
On Tuesday, Türkiye said a Patriot missile defense system was being deployed in Malatya as NATO “strengthened its air and missile defense measures.”
In remarks to Turkish media earlier on Friday, the Iranian ambassador to Türkiye said the missile incident also raised questions for Tehran, proposing a joint technical investigation and suggesting the possibility of “third-party” involvement.
“We suggested forming a technical team to study the issue more closely,” Ambassador Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh said in Ankara. “For us as well, it raises questions: How could something like this happen?”
Habibollahzadeh said Iran believes the launches may have involved “third elements” seeking to damage relations between the two neighboring countries.
“We respect Türkiye’s national sovereignty,” he said, adding that Iranian authorities, including the armed forces and foreign ministry, had denied intentionally launching any missile toward Türkiye.
The envoy thanked Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for what he described as efforts to help reduce tensions.
Habibollahzadeh also said Iran considers itself to be acting in self-defense following attacks by the U.S. and Israel.
Türkiye is preparing to introduce draft legislation aimed at accelerating the disarmament of the PKK terrorist group as part of the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, with work on the proposals expected to begin after the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday.
According to a report in the Sabah newspaper, preparations are ongoing for a framework law intended to support the disarmament process. The proposal would be prepared and shared with the public, and then submitted to Parliament after authorities confirm and verify that the terrorist group has laid down its weapons.
The planned legislation follows recommendations from the Turkish Parliament’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, which prepared a report outlining legal changes related to the initiative.
Under the commission’s recommendations, laws linked to the process would be enacted only after the disarmament of the PKK is confirmed and verified.
Officials note that rising tensions in the Middle East could cause delays in the disarmament process. However, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) officials say it would not be appropriate to take no steps on the legislative side during this period.
They said the preparation of a legal framework could help clarify the conditions under which members of the organization would lay down their weapons.
Draft law preparations
Parliament is expected to discuss what mechanism will be used to prepare the legislation after the Eid holiday.
Among the options being discussed are submitting the proposals through the AK Party, establishing an informal commission, or preparing the work through the Justice Commission or deputy parliamentary group leaders.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş also raised the issue during an iftar gathering with members of the parliamentary commission. Officials said the matter would be evaluated again after the holiday.
The aim is to announce the draft legislation by the end of April.
A new formula is also being discussed to accelerate the process. Under that approach, Parliament would prepare a legislative proposal that includes regulations on “returning home” and share it with the public.
The move would send a message that legal steps would follow once the organization takes concrete actions toward disarmament.
After authorities confirm and verify that weapons have been laid down or that the process has reached a certain stage, the legislation would be quickly passed by Parliament.
Background to the initiative
Türkiye’s efforts to end PKK violence that has killed more than 50,000 people and to remove the divisions fostered by the terrorist group over four decades entered a new stage last month.
Türkiye is working to bring a permanent end to PKK terrorism with its “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, first proposed in October 2024 by government ally Devlet Bahçeli, who extended an olive branch to the PKK’s jailed ringleader Abdullah Öcalan if he urged the organization to lay down its arms.
After the group announced last year that it would dissolve itself in response to Öcalan’s appeal, a parliamentary committee approved a report recommending legislation to accelerate the process.
The report will serve as a guide for Parliament in drafting legislation and is intended to facilitate the process once authorities confirm that the PKK has fully abandoned its armed activities.
A cross-party parliamentary commission recently published the report to prepare the legal groundwork for the process and support plans to reintegrate former PKK members.
Authorities have repeatedly ruled out any amnesty for Öcalan or for militants involved in terrorist acts. Officials say the legal framework would only consider integration measures for PKK members who were not involved in acts of terrorism.
Proposed legal framework
The report includes suggestions for rehabilitation measures following the complete dissolution of the PKK.
Several legal amendments are being planned for PKK members, including new legal definitions that would categorize them into three groups: those involved in acts of terrorism, those who were not involved in violence and those already imprisoned for PKK-related crimes.
Members who were not involved in acts of terrorism would be subject to legal procedures after returning to Türkiye and would be placed under judicial supervision.
The nature of the supervision has not been specified but could resemble existing judicial control measures requiring regular reporting to authorities or restrictions on travel abroad.
Individuals in this category would also benefit from rehabilitation and reintegration programs, including education, vocational training and psychological support.
The report notes that senior members of the organization joined the group at a young age and spent most of their lives in militant hideouts, while lower-ranking members were often recruited as youth who left school before joining the group.
Government ministries and relevant institutions are expected to collaborate in creating rehabilitation programs.
Changes to criminal legislation
For individuals involved in acts of terrorism and those currently serving prison sentences, amendments are being considered to the Turkish Penal Code, the Penal Execution Law and the Counterterrorism Law.
Officials say these amendments would apply specifically to PKK members and would not extend to members of other terrorist organizations such as the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
A separate law defining PKK membership is also being considered.
If the PKK dissolves, several crimes under counterterrorism legislation, including membership in a terrorist organization, aiding a terrorist organization and conducting propaganda, would cease to apply.
Under existing legislation, PKK members also face additional sentences for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. Dissolution of the group would end such charges and the related sentences.
Current laws also increase penalties for crimes such as manslaughter or extortion if they are committed by members of a terrorist organization.
If the PKK dissolves, individuals convicted of those offenses would instead be sentenced only for the underlying crimes.
Authorities are also evaluating reductions in prison sentences and the introduction of parole provisions.
Under existing rules, prisoners may qualify for early release after serving two-thirds or three-quarters of their sentences depending on the crime. The new framework could reduce that threshold to half of the sentence in some cases.
Currently, those convicted of terrorism-related crimes are not eligible for parole.
The same procedures would also apply to PKK members in Europe who wish to return to Türkiye, provided they have not been convicted of crimes.
Camps in Iraq
The report also addresses people living in PKK-operated camps in northern Iraq, including the Makhmour camp.
These camps are largely populated by individuals who left Türkiye decades ago and maintained ties with the organization but were not necessarily active militants.
Authorities say residents who were not involved in acts of terrorism could be offered reintegration measures, including identity documents and access to education.
Turkish authorities have detained the mayor of the western resort town of Kuşadası in Aydın province along with several municipal officials and business figures as part of a bribery and extortion investigation led by prosecutors in Istanbul, officials said Friday.
Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was among six suspects taken into custody during coordinated police operations carried out early Friday in the provinces of Aydın, Izmir and Antalya, according to information from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation is focused on allegations of bribery and extortion in office related to municipal projects and procurement procedures, prosecutors said.
Those detained also include Kuşadası Municipality Urban Planning Director Ahmet Taşkın and Building Control Director Mustafa Burak Gündeş, along with municipal architect and urban planner Meral Celep and two business figures, Ferdi Zenginoğlu and Hüseyin Kabasakal.
Prosecutors said the investigation was launched after witness and complainant statements, suspect testimonies, phone communication records and financial data were examined as part of the case file.
Authorities said particular attention was given to financial transactions linked to individuals connected with the municipality. Reports prepared by Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) and reviews of bank account movements were among the evidence evaluated by investigators.
Prosecutors said the findings created what they described as reasonable suspicion that bribery and extortion offenses may have been committed.
As part of the probe, police searched several addresses and seized documents and materials believed to be connected to the investigation. The detained suspects were being transferred to Istanbul for further questioning, officials said.
Investigators are also examining alleged financial links between municipal officials and two business figures, Ali Ertan Yurtsever and Atila Yurtsever, who are associated with Florart Peyzaj Sanayi Ticaret A.Ş., a landscaping company operating in the Kuşadası area.
According to investigators, witness statements suggested that the suspects may have acted as intermediaries in alleged bribery and misconduct involving municipal projects.
Authorities said communication records showed frequent contact between the suspects and the businessmen.
The two businessmen were previously detained and later arrested by a court in Istanbul in connection with the same investigation, according to officials familiar with the case.
The probe also focuses on a landscaping and intersection renovation tender held by the Kuşadası Municipality in September 2020. The project contract, valued at approximately TL 8.85 million (nearly $182,000) including value-added tax, was signed on Oct. 12, 2020, with the winning bidder, Ali Ertan Yurtsever.
Investigators are reviewing financial records and communication data related to the project as part of the broader corruption inquiry.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and could expand as additional evidence is reviewed.
The main opposition CHP is under mounting scrutiny as a wave of corruption, bribery and terrorism-related investigations sweeps across its municipalities.
Authorities say several major investigations are underway into municipalities controlled by the CHP, covering allegations from large-scale tender rigging and bribery to financing terrorist organizations.
The most extensive probe targets the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), led by ousted Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, over claims of systematic corruption, fictitious tenders and abuse of public resources. Prosecutors allege a network, headed by senior municipal officials, rigged numerous public contracts. Imamoğlu and his aides deny all charges.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed gratitude to the Turkish people and the Republic of Türkiye for their support and prayers, saying the solidarity shown toward Iran has been a strong source of morale.
Araghchi shared a message in Turkish on the social media platform X, thanking the Turkish nation for its support during a difficult period for Iran.
“The prayers of the brotherly Turkish nation and the solidarity shown by the friendly Republic of Türkiye for the Iranian people are a great source of strength and morale for us,” Araghchi said.
He added that Iran will continue to firmly defend its sovereignty and the security of its people.
Araghchi also expressed hope that justice and peace would ultimately prevail.
Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is set to visit Türkiye on Saturday for talks with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, marking his first official trip abroad since taking office, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
Rahman will meet with Fidan in Ankara to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments, according to the sources.
During the talks, Fidan is expected to welcome the peaceful conduct of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament elections and the July National Charter referendum, expressing hope that the results will contribute to restoring stability and prosperity in the country.
The Turkish minister is also expected to underline the longstanding and historically rooted ties between Türkiye and Bangladesh, voicing confidence that relations between the two countries will continue to deepen during Rahman’s tenure.
Fidan is likely to emphasize Türkiye’s desire to strengthen cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including economic and trade relations, defense industry collaboration, energy, education, culture, science and health.
The discussions are also expected to address efforts to finalize several bilateral agreements currently under negotiation, which Turkish officials say would help reinforce the legal framework underpinning cooperation between the two countries.
Fidan is anticipated to reiterate Ankara’s goal of increasing the bilateral trade volume from its current level of around $1.3 billion to $2 billion in the coming years.
In addition to bilateral matters, the ministers are expected to exchange views on regional and global developments. Fidan is likely to stress the importance of cooperation with Bangladesh in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Developing Eight (D-8) group.
The talks may also touch on recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region, as well as tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with both sides expected to share assessments of the evolving security landscape.
The Turkish minister is also expected to emphasize the need for international actors to intensify efforts to prevent further instability and conflict in the region, while reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to a peaceful and principled approach that calls on all parties to exercise restraint.
The cooperation between Türkiye and Bangladesh could contribute to greater stability and prosperity in South Asia and beyond is also expected to be underlined.
Bilateral ties
Relations between the two countries have gained momentum in recent years. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a brief meeting with Bangladesh’s then-interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus during the D-8 summit in Egypt in December 2024.
Bangladesh’s then-foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain also visited Türkiye in April 2025 for the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and later met with Fidan in Ankara.
According to official data, trade between the two countries reached approximately $1.35 billion in 2025, including $430.6 million in Turkish exports and $926.4 million in imports from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh and Türkiye have had strong diplomatic and trade relations for centuries, dating back to the late 16th century when Ottoman ports established trade links with Bengal.
The Turkish Embassy in Dhaka opened in 1976, and the Embassy of Bangladesh in Ankara opened in 1981.
On Thursday, Bangladesh’s parliament convened for the first time since last month’s elections, which followed the deadly 2024 uprising that plunged the country into political turmoil.
The government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), took over after the Feb. 12 elections from the interim administration that had led the country of 170 million people since August 2024.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of the new Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine complex in Istanbul and the collective opening of 16 education and dormitory buildings at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa.
Speaking at the ceremony held on the university’s campus, Erdoğan highlighted the scale of the new medical project while criticizing failed urban policies by Istanbul’s municipal administration after 2019.
“After 2019, what happened? What happened to Istanbul also happened to the protocol. It became a victim of a politics of not laying foundations, not doing work and producing excuses,” referring to the failed projects of former Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu.
After the elections, it emerged that road construction works linking Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul’s Kayaşehir district had been halted by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), a development that had become a source of political controversy.
Although the hospital’s construction had reached around 90% completion, the road projects intended to connect the facility to surrounding transportation networks were first slowed and later stopped altogether by the municipality. The suspension of the construction work caused difficulties for residents of Başakşehir and Kayaşehir, who were affected by the incomplete access routes to the hospital.
The project was later taken over by the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, which resumed the work on the remaining road sections.
The president said the restoration of the Cerrahpaşa Medical History Museum, which houses more than 40,000 artifacts from the Ottoman and Republican eras, had been completed in 2019 under a protocol signed during the tenure of former Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş.
“Those who constantly mention the name of Atatürk when it comes to politics did not protect the legacy of Mustafa Kemal or the medical history museum,” Erdoğan said.
He also noted that archaeological excavations conducted in the area, which lies within an archaeological site, uncovered thousands of artifacts that were added to Istanbul’s cultural heritage.
During the event, Erdoğan announced the start of construction for the first phase of the new Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine facilities while inaugurating 16 newly completed buildings, including education and dormitory structures.
Once completed, the project will create a modern medical campus with a total indoor area of approximately 650,000 square meters, Erdoğan said.
The complex is planned to include 900 hospital beds, including 150 intensive care units, 40 operating rooms, a closed parking facility with capacity for 3,000 vehicles and a helicopter landing pad.
Erdoğan said the hospital buildings would be equipped with seismic isolators to ensure earthquake resistance, emphasizing the importance of resilient infrastructure in earthquake-prone Istanbul.
The president also congratulated health care professionals ahead of Türkiye’s upcoming Medical Day on March 14.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday that Türkiye will not be drawn into the ongoing tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, stressing that Ankara is taking all necessary measures to protect its airspace while prioritizing keeping the country away from the widening conflict.
Speaking at an iftar, Erdoğan said Türkiye remains vigilant against any threats, noting that authorities responded swiftly after an Iranian ballistic missile fired toward Türkiye was intercepted.
He said the country continues to take preventive steps to safeguard its airspace, emphasizing that similar measures were implemented the previous night.
“Our main priority is to keep our country away from this pit of fire,” Erdoğan said, underlining Ankara’s cautious approach amid escalating regional tensions.
The Turkish president added that Türkiye is proceeding with “great caution in the face of plots, traps and provocations aimed at dragging our country into war.”
Erdoğan also criticized the global hypocrisy toward humanitarian crises, saying some countries have turned a blind eye to oppression and genocide while others openly support actors responsible for such crimes, including Israel.
He argued that the suffering of children in conflict zones often fails to receive the attention it deserves.
“The suffering of orphaned children in Gaza and Syria has drawn less attention than a lone penguin,” Erdoğan said, describing what he called the “fake conscience” of the virtual world.
Despite the global crisis of conscience, Erdoğan said Türkiye remains committed to acting responsibly and upholding humanitarian values.
“In a world experiencing a crisis of conscience, we are united in our struggle to ensure that Türkiye serves as the conscience of humanity,” he said.
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoBREAKING NEWS | Iran message from President Erdoğan: We keep our country away from the fire pit
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoKürşad Zorlu: “We are running and working to bring the Turkish states together”
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoTanju Özcan’s “scholarship” lie has been debunked! He distributed 11 million, evaporated 100 million!
-
Sports2 days agoAlcaraz sets Medvedev semis at Indian Wells, Svitolina stuns Swiatek
-
Politics2 days agoTürkiye warns against efforts to incite civil war in Iran
-
Politics2 days agoTürkiye’s minister leaves UN session during Israeli minister’s remarks
-
Daily Agenda2 days ago3.1 million more Istanbul residents will have access to the rail system network
-
Politics2 days agoTürkiye to stay out of regional war, President Erdoğan says