Politics
‘Türkiye at center of diplomacy, energy routes as regional risks mount’
As the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict entered its second month, diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict intensified, with Pakistan facilitating indirect contacts between the parties and Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia coordinating regional initiatives aimed at establishing a framework for dialogue.
Türkiye, on the other hand, has consistently warned against the outbreak and expansion of the tensions. Ankara has also reiterated that its priority remains preventing further escalation, keeping itself outside the hostilities and continuing to emphasize diplomacy in all its engagements and initiatives.
Emphasizing Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s simultaneous phone diplomacy since the war that began on Feb. 28, Oral Toğa, a researcher at the Center for Iranian Studies (IRAM), told Daily Sabah, “Ankara is not merely a ‘message carrier’ in this process but a founding partner of the diplomatic architecture itself.”
“Indeed, Fidan’s own acknowledgment that the four-way foreign ministers’ meeting in Islamabad was originally planned to take place in Ankara confirms that Türkiye was the driving force behind the design of this mechanism,” Toğa added.
On March 29, Pakistan hosted talks with Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the conflict in Iran, with early discussions centered on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, sources familiar with the matter said.
At the end of the first day of talks in Islamabad, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said foreign ministers from the regional powers had discussed “possible ways to bring an early and permanent end to the war in the region,” and had been briefed on potential U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad.
The talks were held as Iran warned the U.S. against launching a ground attack, and global oil prices surged amid continued fighting between Iran, the U.S. and Israel.
“Türkiye, on the other hand, is the actor building regional consensus, bringing conflict-affected countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt to the same table,” Toğa asserted, pointing out that the essence of Ankara’s proposal was not about where the talks would be held but about what mechanism would govern them reflecting a structural attempt to address the trust deficit between the sides.
Fidan engaged in an intense phone diplomacy over the past weeks for an end to the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. As Foreign Ministry sources announced, he held discussions with a wide range of regional and international officials to evaluate efforts to secure a cease-fire
Fidan recently returned from a Gulf trip where he held talks with counterparts and attended a meeting in Riyadh over the Gulf countries’ response to the war, which quickly expanded into those countries.
“It is important to recognize that Türkiye and Pakistan are playing complementary rather than competing roles in this process,” Toğa noted, underlining that Türkiye still proceeds to form the intellectual backbone of this process.
Fidan previously underlined that under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strong and resilient leadership, Türkiye has become an international actor with a say in international affairs, an actor with gravity that has an impact on the balance of matters.
Over the past few years, issues regarding securing justice and representation within the current international system have become unsustainable. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “The world is bigger than five” approach represented not only a political stance but also a humanitarian and ethical call for reform.
Türkiye has also been a central diplomatic figure between Kyiv and Moscow since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ankara’s most notable diplomatic triumph was brokering the Black Sea Grain Initiative alongside the U.N. on July 22, 2022.
Erdoğan has maintained open communication channels with Moscow and Kyiv. With his landmark visit to Lviv on Aug. 18, 2022, Erdoğan became the only NATO leader to have visited both nations since hostilities erupted, reflecting Türkiye’s unique position.
Moreover, steps taken through Türkiye’s mediation have paved the way for resolving a dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa over Somaliland.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met in Ankara under the auspices of President Erdoğan and reached an understanding aimed at ending a crisis that has persisted for nearly a year between the two countries.
According to the Ethiopia-Somalia Ankara Declaration, the sides agreed to set aside differences and contentious issues and move forward with determination toward shared prosperity.
Professor Nurşin Ateşoğlu Güney from the National Intelligence Academy also stated that the meeting is highly significant, particularly given the participation of Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye, as it reflects growing concern over the widening scope of the conflict.
She further added that the involvement of additional actors, including Yemen’s Houthis, underscores how the confrontation has taken on a broader regional dimension, stressing that the conflict with Iran is no longer a limited confrontation between specific parties, but a far more serious and expansive crisis with implications for the entire region.
Türkiye as energy hub
Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of the world’s total oil consumption, in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes that began Feb. 28. The conflict has caused a spike in oil prices, inflation concerns, supply chain problems and worries about the impact on the global economy.
Toğa warned that the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a humanitarian and economic crisis affecting millions, with Pakistan and Bangladesh facing acute LNG shortages, Gulf states halting energy exports and a sharp rise in global prices.
“In this context, Türkiye’s position should be read not as an ‘opportunity’ but as a structural responsibility imposed by a regional crisis,” he said.
Gulf countries are reconsidering pipeline projects that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz, as the renewed conflict has revived concerns over the region’s reliance on one of the world’s most critical oil and gas chokepoints, the Financial Times (FT) reported Thursday.
The renewed debate underscores growing fears that prolonged Iranian control or disruption in the strait could leave Gulf exporters vulnerable, prompting officials and industry executives to revisit alternatives once deemed too costly or technically challenging to pursue.
He drew attention to the potential reactivation of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline following a Baghdad-Irbil agreement, the growing importance of the Southern Gas Corridor for Europe, and the emergence of the Ceyhan terminal as one of the few secure energy exit points in the Eastern Mediterranean as factors placing Türkiye at the center of the evolving energy landscape, driven largely by geography rather than strategic choice.
“At the same time, Türkiye itself is paying a heavy price for this crisis. Thirteen percent of its natural gas imports come from Iran, and the prolongation of the crisis directly jeopardizes that supply.”
About 20% of the global oil supply passes through the strait daily, and heightened insecurity has driven up oil prices and shipping and insurance costs.
Toğa remarked that disruptions in industrial inputs imported from the Gulf, including aluminum, plastic raw materials and mono-ethylene glycol, are threatening the competitiveness of Türkiye’s $30 billion (TL 1.34 trillion) textile sector annually
While Türkiye’s role as an energy transit hub has expanded due to its geographic position, the country is simultaneously bearing the macroeconomic costs of the same crisis, he also asserted.
“The real issue here is not the capacity of pipelines but the urgent need for this war to end. The lasting solution lies not in transit infrastructure but at the diplomacy table.”
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to obliterate Iran’s energy plants if it does not agree to a peace deal and open the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices fell briefly below $100 per barrel on Wednesday after Trump said the U.S. will be done attacking Iran probably in two to three weeks, and that the U.S. “will not have anything to do with” what happens next in the Strait of Hormuz.
On the other hand, Güney also noted that the involvement of Yemen’s Houthi forces, extending the conflict into the Red Sea, underscores the fragility of global energy markets.
“The disruption of two critical maritime chokepoints has made the transportation of oil and gas increasingly difficult, highlighting the strategic importance of Türkiye and indirectly Syria in energy transit.”
The discussions over pipeline projects predating the Syrian war, aimed at transporting Gulf oil and gas through Syria to Türkiye, are now resurfacing, she said, emphasizing this development is significant in terms of bringing alternative hydrocarbon resources to global markets, positioning Türkiye as a key hub.
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said last week that Syria has the geopolitical capacity to serve as an alternative to the energy security crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Türkiye and Syria will become the main distribution center of energy for the entire world,” Barrack said following his presentation.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez discussed bilateral relations and global developments during talks in Istanbul on Monday, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
During the meeting, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue to stand by the people of Venezuela and underscored Ankara’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Caracas across a range of sectors, particularly trade, energy and mining.
The leaders also reviewed steps aimed at reaching the two countries’ shared goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to $3 billion, while exchanging views on regional and international developments.
Rodriguez, who is visiting Türkiye at Erdoğan’s invitation, was received with an official ceremony before the leaders moved on to one-on-one and delegation-level meetings.
The talks were attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and Chief Foreign Policy and Security Adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç.
The meeting brought together senior officials from both countries as Türkiye and Venezuela continue efforts to strengthen cooperation and deepen bilateral ties.
Türkiye on Monday welcomed the successful completion of Armenia’s parliamentary election and expressed hope that the post-election period would create conditions conducive to the signing of a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said it was pleased that the election had been conducted peacefully and wished the results to be beneficial for the Armenian people.
The ministry voiced hope that developments following the vote would pave the way for a comprehensive peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a step seen as critical for lasting stability in the South Caucasus.
Türkiye will continue to support regional peace, stability and prosperity on the basis of the shared interests of countries in the region, the statement said.
According to preliminary results, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party secured an outright parliamentary majority, winning 61 of the legislature’s 105 seats with nearly 50% of the vote.
Official election results are expected to be announced on Tuesday.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Monday strongly criticized a newly signed defense agreement between the Greek Cypriot administration and France, warning that the deal ignores the realities on the island and risks fueling tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed by French and Greek Cypriot defense officials was a unilateral move that disregards the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people and the political realities of Cyprus.
“The agreement ignores the current realities of the island, fundamental principles of international law and the delicate balance that must be preserved in the region,” Üstel said in a statement.
He argued that the deal would create a legal framework for a more permanent presence of foreign military personnel on the island and accused the Greek Cypriot administration of pursuing policies that could transform Cyprus into a hub for foreign military deployments.
Üstel also criticized Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, saying his administration had systematically expanded military and strategic partnerships since taking office, a trend he described as harmful to both Cyprus and wider Eastern Mediterranean security.
The TRNC prime minister warned that efforts to increase France’s military footprint in the region could undermine the fragile balance in the Eastern Mediterranean and deepen regional polarization.
He said the agreement comes at a sensitive time when diplomatic efforts are underway to promote dialogue on the island, including contacts led by the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy.
Reaffirming the Turkish Cypriot position, Üstel said a lasting settlement, sustainable stability and genuine peace on the island could only be achieved through recognition of the sovereign equality of the two peoples and the equal international status of the two states.
He also stressed that no initiative targeting the legitimate rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people and Türkiye would succeed, while calling on the international community to respect the realities on the island and adhere to international law.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the western city of Izmir issued detention warrants for 78 suspects linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) on Tuesday. The warrants were part of an investigation into the group’s “education network,” authorities said.
The terrorist group orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Türkiye, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded. Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Türkiye has targeted its active members and sleeper cells nonstop, and its influence has been much reduced since 2016. However, the group maintains a vast network, including infiltrators suspected to be still operating within Turkish institutions.
FETÖ backers in army ranks and civil institutions have disguised their loyalty, as operations and investigations have indicated since the 2016 coup attempt. FETÖ is also implicated in a string of cases related to its alleged plots to imprison its critics, money laundering, fraud and forgery.
The terrorist group faces operations almost daily as investigators still try to unravel their massive network of infiltrators everywhere.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Sofia on June 10, where regional leaders are expected to discuss cooperation, security and economic development across the Balkans, Foreign Ministry sources said.
The summit, hosted by Bulgaria under the theme “Strengthening Regional Unity for a Stable, Secure and Sustainable Future: Reflections on 30 Years of Partnership and Progress,” will bring together heads of state and government, foreign ministers from 13 participating countries and the secretary-general of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the operational arm of the SEECP.
A summit declaration is expected to be adopted at the conclusion of the meeting.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s support for enhancing regional cooperation based on the principles of regional ownership and inclusivity. He is also expected to emphasize Ankara’s commitment to the SEECP, describing the platform as one of the most important mechanisms for political dialogue in the Balkans.
Fidan is anticipated to underline the strategic significance of the Balkans not only for regional stability but also for the security of a broader geographic area.
He is expected to stress that strengthening good-neighborly relations remains a shared responsibility and highlight Türkiye’s efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation through initiatives such as the Balkan Peace Platform.
The Turkish foreign minister is also expected to call for stronger transportation and energy connectivity across the region, arguing that deeper integration would help unlock the Balkans’ economic and strategic potential while contributing to prosperity and sustainable development.
Fidan is expected to reiterate Türkiye’s support for diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace in the Russia-Ukraine war and emphasize the importance of maintaining dialogue between Iran and the United States and preventing renewed regional tensions.
The SEECP was established in 1996 and remains the only regional cooperation platform that includes all Balkan countries.
Romania is scheduled to assume the bloc’s rotating chairmanship from Bulgaria on July 1.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Monday announced the start of the party’s congress process and urged members to stand united ahead of a parliamentary group meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
Kılıçdaroğlu said the main opposition party would formally launch its congress process with its first Party Assembly meeting on Thursday, June 11.
In a statement shared on social media, the CHP leader emphasized unity within the party, describing its members as a large family brought together by a common purpose despite differing views.
“We are not rivals to one another. We are the sons and daughters of the Republican People’s Party walking shoulder to shoulder,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.
He reiterated the party’s goals of strengthening democracy and justice in Türkiye during the second century of the republic and called on party members to demonstrate solidarity throughout the congress process.
Kılıçdaroğlu also invited CHP members to attend Tuesday’s parliamentary group meeting with a spirit of unity, urging them to remain connected through what he described as common sense and comradeship.
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