Türkiye has transformed from a regional power into a global actor during the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) 25-year political journey, the party’s deputy chair, Efkan Ala, said as the ruling party prepares to mark the anniversary of its founding.

Speaking to Ihlas News Agency (IHA), Ala said Türkiye’s foreign policy had shifted from what he described as a largely passive approach before the AK Party came to power to one based on active diplomacy backed by growing economic and defense capabilities.

“With the AK Party, this evolved into an active foreign policy,” Ala said. “Türkiye became a global actor through its achievements in the defense industry and economy and through reforms that strengthened both politics and institutions.”

Ala pointed to Türkiye’s growing domestic defense industry, saying the country now manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles and other systems that it previously struggled to procure from abroad. Türkiye has also emerged among the world’s defense exporters, he added.

He cited Ankara’s involvement in developments in Syria and Karabakh, as well as its diplomatic efforts surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war, as examples of Türkiye’s expanding international role.

“Türkiye has reached a point where its opinion is sought on any issue in the world,” Ala said, adding that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is among a small number of leaders who have an influential voice on major global issues.

The AK Party, founded under Erdoğan’s leadership in 2001, came to power roughly a year later. Ala described its quarter-century in politics as a period of major political and institutional transformation.

He recalled a series of challenges faced by the party, including military interventions in politics, attempts to shut down the party, the 2013 Gezi Park protests, the December 2013 investigations and the failed July 15, 2016 coup.

He said the dispute ultimately led the AK Party to pursue a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to be elected directly by voters. The change was approved in a referendum, paving the way for Erdoğan to become Türkiye’s first directly elected president in 2014.

Ala also highlighted changes introduced during the AK Party’s rule, including reforms in civilian-military relations and the lifting of restrictions on women wearing headscarves in public institutions.

He said the party’s 25-year record reflected what he described as a political journey shaped by public support and efforts to strengthen civilian politics and Türkiye’s role abroad.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will meet with a delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Thursday, in the first such meeting since Parliament approved legislation tied to Türkiye’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative.

Erdoğan is scheduled to receive DEM Party lawmakers Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, members of the party’s Imralı delegation, at 4 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the party.

The talks come after Parliament approved the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration, commonly referred to as the “framework law,” with broad parliamentary support.

Parliament on Monday passed a landmark 12-article law supporting the country’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, following months of political efforts led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli.

The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved with 468 votes in favor and 88 against, with six abstentions.

The legislation forms a key part of the legal framework surrounding the ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which seeks to bring an end to decades of terrorism and strengthen social integration.

Thursday’s meeting will mark the first talks between Erdoğan and the Imralı delegation since the legislation was adopted.

Erdoğan last met Buldan and Sancar on Feb. 11, 2026. Following those talks, the delegation said the sides had reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing the initiative.

The delegation also stressed at the time the importance of adopting legal measures related to the process “without delay and with the broadest possible consensus.”

The latest meeting is expected to focus on the implementation of the newly adopted legislation and the next phase of the process.

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will co-chair the second meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in El Alamein on Thursday as part of his visit to Egypt, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

Fidan and Abdelatty, Egypt’s minister of foreign affairs, emigration and Egyptian expatriates, are expected to begin their talks at 5:30 p.m. Türkiye time, according to the sources.

The two ministers are scheduled to hold a joint news conference at 7:30 p.m. following the meeting. The news conference is expected to be broadcast live.

The Joint Planning Group serves as a mechanism for coordinating preparations and bilateral cooperation ahead of meetings of the Türkiye-Egypt High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

During his visit, Fidan is also expected to be received by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

The Turkish foreign minister is also scheduled to hold talks with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy as part of his diplomatic engagements in Egypt.

Relations between Türkiye and Egypt have gained momentum amid increasingly frequent high-level contacts and reciprocal visits, with Fidan and Abdelatty maintaining regular consultations and close coordination on bilateral and regional issues.

Abdelatty visited Türkiye on Nov. 12, 2025, for the first meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group and later attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 17-19, 2026.

Fidan most recently visited Cairo on June 20-21 to attend the fourth meeting of the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday slammed the Israeli government for seeking to erase Palestine from the international community’s agenda by fueling instability and new conflicts in the region, vowing that Türkiye would continue to defend the Palestinian cause on every platform.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara, Erdoğan said Israel’s policies of occupation, forced displacement and seizure of Palestinian land were continuing to intensify in the occupied territories.

“The Netanyahu government’s aim is to remove Palestine from humanity’s common agenda by benefiting from chaos and new conflicts in the region,” Erdoğan said. “Whatever they do, they will not succeed.”

“The more they try to erase it, the more the Palestinian cause will continue to grow in people’s hearts,” he added. “As Türkiye, we will continue to defend the Palestinian cause in the strongest possible manner on every platform.”

Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital and full geographical integrity.

“We will continue to fight resolutely for the establishment of an independent, sovereign and geographically contiguous Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

Erdoğan said the situation in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem continued to deteriorate, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “genocidal” government of pursuing unlawful policies “before the eyes of the entire world.”

Citing U.N. figures, Erdoğan said around 3,800 Palestinians had been displaced in 2026 alone due to settler violence, demolitions and evacuations, while nearly 100 Palestinians had been killed.

“The existence of a sovereign Palestinian state is being undermined,” Erdoğan said. “It is impossible to remain indifferent to this.”

Despite attempts at intimidation and displacement, Erdoğan said the Palestinian people remained steadfast, stressing that supporting Palestine was a shared responsibility of humanity, particularly the Muslim world.

Erdoğan said he and Abbas discussed bilateral relations as well as the situation across the occupied Palestinian territories in detail.

The two leaders also reiterated their solidarity against attacks, violations and provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Hebron and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories.

“We strongly oppose provocations aimed at changing the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, our first qibla, and other holy sites,” Erdoğan said.

Turning to Gaza, Erdoğan accused the Israeli government of maintaining an uncompromising and aggressive stance despite international efforts and agreements, contrasting it with what he described as the constructive approach of Palestinians.

“We are facing an Israeli administration that has made deadlock its policy despite all agreements and international efforts,” he said.

Erdoğan said developments had demonstrated which side favored continued conflict and which sought peace, adding that the people of Gaza had clearly shown their desire and determination for peace.

He called for conditions necessary to guarantee security and launch Gaza’s reconstruction to be established without delay.

“The necessary conditions for initiating the reconstruction and rebuilding process in Gaza and ensuring security must be provided as soon as possible,” Erdoğan said.

Erdoğan also welcomed plans for Palestinian legislative and presidential elections, expressing hope that the process would advance reconciliation and strengthen unity among Palestinians.

Abbas, meanwhile, praised Türkiye’s support for Palestinian rights and said the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement could provide a foundation for greater regional stability and security.

“This agreement is very important. I hope it will be a starting point for ensuring stability and security in the region,” Abbas said.

“I thank President Erdoğan and brotherly Türkiye for their support for our rights and the cause of the Palestinian people,” he added.

Invited by President Erdoğan, Palestinian Authority President Abbas arrived in Ankara on Tuesday.

Thanks to Türkiye’s diplomatic initiatives, the number of leaders and influential figures speaking out against Israel has increased. Ankara continues its efforts to intensify international pressure on Israel while consistently raising the Palestinian cause and Israel’s aggression on every platform.

On Gaza, Türkiye has consistently supported an immediate cease-fire, expanded humanitarian access, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, while remaining among the strongest international critics of Israel’s attacks. Working in close strategic alignment with Doha, Ankara has coordinated joint mediation efforts alongside Qatar and regional partners to enforce a lasting cease-fire, secure uninterrupted humanitarian relief and advance diplomatic channels for a comprehensive regional peace settlement.

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Türkiye will continue working to bridge Libya’s political and regional divides, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday after concluding wide-ranging talks in Tripoli and Benghazi aimed at strengthening cooperation and supporting stability across the North African country.

Fidan said his visit reflected Ankara’s “One Libya” policy, which treats the country’s western, eastern and southern regions without distinction.

“Our visit has been a concrete manifestation of our ‘One Libya’ policy, which makes no distinction between Libya’s west, east and south,” Fidan said, thanking Libyan authorities for their hospitality.

In Tripoli, Fidan met Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah of Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU), discussing bilateral relations, Libya’s political process, regional developments and security issues.

He also held talks with Presidential Council President Mohammed al-Menfi and High Council of State President Mohammed Takala.

Fidan met several senior security and defense officials in Tripoli, including National Security Adviser Ibrahim Dbeibah, acting Defense Minister Abdulsalam al-Zoubi, Interior Minister Emad al-Trabelsi, Chief of General Staff Salah al-Din al-Namroush and military intelligence chief Mahmoud Hamza.

The talks focused on bilateral cooperation as well as current political and security developments.

Fidan then traveled to Benghazi, where he met Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar, deputy commander Saddam Haftar, House of Representatives Speaker Aguila Saleh and Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund Director-General Belqasem Haftar.

The meetings included discussions on Libya’s political and security agenda and opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation.

Fidan described Türkiye’s security and defense cooperation with Libya as a strategic component of bilateral ties that contributes directly to Libya’s stability and broader regional security.

As part of his visit, he also met Turkish troops serving with the Turkish Armed Forces’ Libya Task Group Command in Tripoli.

“Türkiye does not consider Libya’s peace and stability separately from its own stability,” Fidan said, stressing that Libyans should be able to determine and build their future in freedom, security and prosperity.

Fidan said Ankara would continue supporting stronger dialogue and cooperation between Libya’s east and west under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s foreign policy vision.

Türkiye, he added, would maintain its efforts to contribute to Libya’s peace, stability and prosperity.

Meanwhile, the top Turkish diplomat also visited the Mausoleum of Omar al-Mukhtar, revered as Libya’s national hero for leading the resistance against Italian colonial rule, during his contacts in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Fidan paid tribute to al-Mukhtar at the mausoleum as part of his visit to Libya.

“We visited the mausoleum of Omar al-Mukhtar, a leading figure in Libya’s struggle for independence who resisted colonialism with dignity and determination,” Fidan said.

Describing al-Mukhtar as “a revered hero across the Islamic world,” Fidan honored the memory of the resistance leader, who devoted his life to his faith and ideals and whose legacy continues to inspire generations.

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The Turkish Defense Ministry said Thursday that a newly signed defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is not intended as an alternative or rival to NATO but as a mechanism designed to complement the international security architecture and strengthen regional stability.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk, said the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Aug. 7, aims to institutionalize and deepen existing defense and security cooperation among the three countries.

“The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is not an alternative or rival structure to NATO,” Aktürk told the ministry’s weekly briefing in Ankara. He said the pact is regarded as a complementary mechanism that would contribute to regional security and stability.

The agreement is defensive in nature and does not designate any country as a common enemy or adversary, the ministry underlined.

Under the pact, the three countries plan to establish strategic political and military mechanisms involving their defense and foreign ministers as well as chiefs of general staff or armed forces commanders.

Military cooperation is expected to expand gradually, beginning with command-post and field exercises before progressing to joint drills involving land, naval and air forces, air defense assets and unmanned systems.

The ministry said other countries could eventually be considered for participation if the mechanism matures and the three members reach a consensus.

“The ultimate goal is to establish an institutional mechanism that functions effectively in peacetime, is prepared for potential crises and can provide concrete military support when necessary,” he said.

Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships. In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact that also defines any attack on either nation as an attack on both. The agreement also comes amid rising tensions between Türkiye and Israel over Gaza and other regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and Lebanon.

Terror-free Türkiye

Aktürk also addressed Türkiye’s ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, describing it as historically significant for permanently removing terrorism from the country’s agenda and strengthening social cohesion and regional stability.

The Defense Ministry has begun work with other state institutions to implement Article 8 of recently adopted legislation related to the process, he said.

Three more PKK members who fled the terrorist group’s shelters surrendered over the past week, according to the ministry.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) would continue operations against threats to the country’s security “without interruption and with determination” both within Türkiye’s borders and beyond, he said.

On border security, Aktürk said Turkish forces detained 499 people attempting to cross the country’s borders illegally over the past week, including one suspected member of a terrorist organization, while another 716 people were prevented from crossing.

Since Jan. 1, authorities have detained 7,942 people attempting illegal border crossings and prevented another 45,518 from crossing, he added.

Gaza, regional security

Turning to developments in the Middle East, Aktürk said lasting regional peace and stability depended on Israel ending its attacks and occupation in Gaza and Lebanon.

He accused Israel of continuing attacks that have deepened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called on the international community to take a stronger position based on international law and humanitarian principles.

Aktürk also criticized Israel over its rejection of a 15-point Gaza plan and said Israeli military activities in southern Lebanon were continuing despite a framework agreement.

Separately, the ministry said Türkiye is participating in talks on establishing a Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Saudi Arabia hosted a technical-level meeting in Riyadh on July 28, followed by talks among chiefs of general staff on July 30, the ministry said.

Türkiye is also participating in coordination meetings being held in Jeddah on Aug. 12-13.

The ministry said Ankara would continue working with Saudi authorities to help reduce tensions in the Gulf region and ensure the uninterrupted flow of international trade.

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