Politics
Erdoğan reiterates diplomacy as he welcomes Iran-Israel cease-fire
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara on Tuesday before flying to the Netherlands for a leaders’ summit of NATO, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said they welcomed a cease-fire between Iran and Israel after days of reciprocal attacks. He underlined that diplomacy should be given a chance in the process. “Global actors should take efficient measures to end this craze. Otherwise, the whole world will pay the price for it,” he said.
Erdoğan highlighted that they undertook diplomatic efforts focusing on negotiations between the sides during the process, which began with Israel’s attack on Iran. “I had discussions with many leaders and met foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states in Istanbul. We appreciate every effort on the road to a cease-fire. We certainly welcome the cease-fire agreement and call on the sides to fully comply with it. Our region cannot bear the impact of a conflict whose repercussions may be felt across the world. Diplomacy should be given a chance for the resolution of disagreements,” Erdoğan said. The president noted that Türkiye was committed to its stand based on international law.
“Israel’s attacks on Iran fueled a greater threat toward our region. Its reckless steps are unacceptable. We will continue to invite everyone to act with common sense and highlight that diplomacy is a solution to all issues,” he said. Erdoğan also criticized Israel over its actions in Gaza and called on Tel Aviv to stop “weaponizing hunger” in the Palestinian enclave. “A permanent cease-fire is immediately needed in Gaza. Israel’s aggression across our region should stop,” he said. His remarks echoed an earlier statement by the head of a U.N. agency, which accused Israel of engaging in a war crime by “shooting at people trying to get food.”
The controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began handing out food in Gaza on May 26 after Israel completely cut off supplies into the occupied Palestinian territory for more than two months, sparking warnings of mass famine.
The U.N. and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.
“Israel’s militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution,” said U.N. human rights office spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan. “The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime.” Meanwhile, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, slammed GHF as “an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people.” “It is a death trap costing more lives than it saves,” he told a press conference in Berlin.
Defense, ties with NATO
Erdoğan also stated that NATO members should unconditionally lift defense trade limitations. “We advocate reinforcing the security of Europe. We are developing our own defense capabilities and at the same time, contributing to the deterrence of the Alliance. So, it is not fair that the allies block the trade of defense products of others while we are working together for a stronger defense and a more efficient army,” he said. “Our country should be included in the defense initiatives of the EU and the Alliance,” he said. The United States imposed sanctions on Türkiye in 2020 after Ankara acquired the S-400 missile defense system from Russia. The move booted Türkiye out of its F-35 program. Türkiye also sought to acquire Eurofighter Typhoons built by a four-nation consortium of Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy, and reportedly faced opposition from Germany, though reports were not confirmed.
Hours before Erdoğan’s press conference, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised Türkiye’s defense industrial base and said the country’s defense industry should be more closely connected with the U.K., Norway and the European Union.
“Türkiye has a very big defense industrial base. Sometimes (we) forget what they have. I visited some of their companies, it’s really impressive,” Rutte told the NATO Public Forum in The Hague. “We have to make sure that the Turkish defense industrial base is as closely connected as possible to the U.K., Norway and the European Union,” he added. Rutte warned against creating internal divisions within the alliance based on defense cooperation frameworks, saying: “Let’s not have these fences drawn up within NATO. It won’t help.”
Leaders of NATO’s 32 member states are gathering in The Hague on June 24-25 for the summit dominated by debates over increased defense spending and Ukraine’s membership bid.
In the meantime, the European Union is seeking a new direction in defense after President Donald Trump opted to distance the United States from European security. Having lost its most important ally, Brussels has focused on ensuring the security of the continent on its own, both due to pressure from Washington and the ongoing threats from Moscow. The European Commission announced a new strategy, known as the White Paper, on March 19, which includes increasing military expenditures and production, as well as allocating resources to joint defense projects until 2030. The EU, which seeks to share its topics of discussion and planned steps with NATO’s leading countries in defense, has created a platform for the exchange of ideas under the name of “like-minded countries” for the security of the continent. Türkiye, both a candidate country for the EU and a NATO ally, has also joined the platform, boasting defense industry breakthroughs in recent years.
“We are in close consultation with non-EU allies like ourselves regarding this matter. As NATO, we plan to address supporting measures for the European pillar,” Erdoğan said, ahead of the NATO Summit. He added that Türkiye, having contributed the most to NATO’s counterterrorism framework years ago, will also draw attention to what more the alliance should do in that area.
Istanbul talks
On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Erdoğan said Türkiye was planning new steps for progress in the recent Istanbul talks it hosted between representatives of the two countries. He noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would hold talks with NATO member countries. “We will convey our efforts for diplomacy to end the conflict. We recently had the sides meet in Istanbul and this paved the way for the exchange of prisoners. We have plans for more talks. We did everything for peace between Ukraine and Russia. We earned the trust of both sides and made tangible progress,” he said.
Erdoğan said the conflict cannot continue forever. “We will tell our counterparts at the NATO summit our vision and pledge we will not stop until peace is maintained,” he said.
The United States and Iran are reportedly closer to an agreement to end their conflict, three months after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Türkiye, a NATO ally of the U.S. and a western neighbor of Iran, awaits the good news.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a teleconference early Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump and regional leaders on Iran and Middle East developments, according to Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications.
The meeting was also attended by Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir and members of the U.S. Cabinet. It came after Trump’s announcement that an agreement with Iran to end the war between the two nations “has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization.”
Erdoğan welcomed that the diplomatic process with Iran had reached the level stated by Trump.
Praising countries that contributed to the negotiations, Erdoğan said any agreement with Iran ensuring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz would support regional stability.
Ankara will provide all necessary support for the implementation of any potential agreement with Tehran, Erdoğan reaffirmed.
Türkiye seeks a new era in which regional countries do not pose threats to one another, he said, stressing that a “just peace would have no losers.” Erdoğan said Türkiye has always advocated resolving problems through dialogue and diplomacy.
He added that Türkiye was working to establish peace in the region, and believed that suitable solutions could be found over time to issues that appear difficult, including the Iranian nuclear issue.
The U.S. and Iran have been negotiating proposals and counterproposals through Islamabad to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as well as tackle concerns about Tehran’s nuclear program and its demand for sanctions relief.
Trump said Monday that the U.S. postponed renewing attacks on Iran after requests from Gulf leaders, and that serious negotiations were underway.
Erdoğan held another phone call with Trump last Wednesday, again, on the issue of the war. Türkiye has been in close contact with Washington, Tehran, and mediators Pakistan to seek an end to the war. It has called for an end to the conflict and passed messages between the sides.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said an announcement was possible later Sunday on a deal with Iran that could formally end the Middle East war, insisting goals had been met.
“I do think perhaps there is the possibility that in the next few hours the world will get some good news,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi.
Rubio, who is on his first visit to India, said the emerging deal would address U.S. President Donald Trump’s concerns on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked in response to the U.S.-Israeli attack.
The agreement would also start a “process that can ultimately leave us where the president wants us to be, and that is a world that no longer has to fear or worry about an Iranian nuclear weapon,” he added.
The emerging agreement has quickly met criticism from usual supporters of Trump, including Senator Ted Cruz and Mike Pompeo, Trump’s secretary of state in his first term.
Both are staunch supporters of Israel and voiced opposition to Iran soon receiving benefits such as the unimpeded ability to sell its oil.
Cruz said the outcome could be a “disastrous mistake.”
Asked about the criticism, Rubio said, “No one has been stronger” among U.S. presidents against Iran by launching the war, code-named Epic Fury.
“When this conflict began with Iran, the goals were outlined; they were very simple, they were very clear, we were going to destroy their navy, which was done,” he said.
Rubio said the U.S. also aimed to “significantly reduce” Iran’s ability to fire ballistic missiles and to “do damage to the defense-industrial base” of the country.
“Those were the objectives of Epic Fury. Those objectives were achieved,” Rubio said.
Turkish police on Saturday detained 13 people under an investigation into a 2023 congress of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) that elected as chair Özgür Özel, who was ousted by a court ruling on Thursday.
A Turkish appeals court on Thursday annulled the congress, at which Özel was elected, citing unspecified irregularities. In his place, the court reinstated former CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, a divisive figure who lost to President Tayyip Erdoğan in elections earlier that year.
The Ankara court found that “the will of the delegates was corrupted” at the congress, making the leadership vote legally invalid. The ruling cited allegations that some delegates were offered money, municipal positions, jobs and other benefits in exchange for support during the congress that ended Kılıçdaroğlu’s 13-year tenure.
The CHP leadership has denied the accusations and Özel promised to fight it through legal appeals and to personally remain “day and night” in the CHP’s Ankara headquarters.
Both the Supreme Court of Appeals and the Supreme Election Council (YSK) rejected the CHP’s appeal to overturn the ruling on Friday.
The Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office said Saturday the suspects were detained across seven provinces over allegations of interference in delegates’ voting during the 2023 congress.
They face charges of “violating the law on political parties”, “accepting bribes”, and “laundering assets derived from crime”, the statement said. Search and seizure operations were carried out at the suspects’ addresses in the provinces of Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Şanlıurfa, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis and Malatya.
Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and Syrian intelligence forces carried out a coordinated operation in Syria that led to the capture of 10 suspected Daesh members wanted under Interpol Red Notices, security sources said.
The suspects were brought to Türkiye following the operation, which officials said targeted individuals involved in Daesh activities and past attacks against the country.
Joint efforts by MIT and the General Directorate of Security’s counterterrorism department resulted in the arrest of nine of the suspects by a Turkish court after questioning, while one suspect remained in custody with detention procedures ongoing.
Security sources said intelligence work identified the suspects as Turkish nationals who had crossed into Syria in previous years to join Daesh and later became active within the group’s structure.
Investigators determined that several of the suspects had ties to attacks and logistical networks linked to terrorism targeting Türkiye.
Among those detained was Ömer Deniz Dündar, whom authorities said had links to the perpetrators of the 2015 Ankara train station bombing, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Turkish history. The twin bombings killed 109 people and wounded hundreds more.
Officials said fingerprint evidence recovered from explosive devices found on suicide bombers during counterterrorism operations in 2017 was linked to Dündar.
Security sources said the operation began after MIT identified the suspects’ presence in Syria and coordinated with Syrian intelligence services to locate and monitor them.
Their movements were tracked before field operations were launched, culminating in their capture and transfer to Türkiye.
According to information obtained during questioning, the suspects provided details about Daesh operations, including instructions for attacks, military and ideological training and propaganda activities carried out on behalf of the group.
Sources described several detainees as holding operational or logistical roles within Daesh structures linked to Türkiye.
Ali Bora, identified by officials as an alleged Daesh intelligence figure responsible for Türkiye operations, reportedly joined the group in Syria in 2014 and served in multiple units, including the Farouk Office, also referred to as the group’s “Türkiye province.” Security sources said he was involved in planning attacks against Turkish Armed Forces elements.
Other suspects held roles ranging from logistics and media operations to armed activities and administrative work within Daesh.
Hüseyin Peri allegedly worked in Daesh’s health unit after joining the group in Syria in 2014. Security sources said he was later detained by the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian branch, the YPG, and subsequently released in a prisoner exchange before resuming activities with Daesh.
Kadir Gözükara and Abdullah Çobanoğlu were accused of supporting logistics and propaganda operations, while Hakkı Yüksek was described as a close aide to Mustafa Dokumacı, the alleged leader of a Daesh-linked network blamed for attacks in Türkiye.
Other detainees, including Kadir Demir, Çekdar Yılmaz, Murat Özdemir and Ishak Günci, were accused of participating in armed activities and administrative or media operations in Syria after pledging allegiance to Daesh.
Türkiye has intensified extensive counterterrorism operations against Daesh in recent months, rounding up over a thousand suspects in 2026 alone.
Türkiye considers the Daesh terrorist group one of the biggest threats to the country’s security and peace and was one of the first countries to declare it a terrorist group in 2013. It has suffered from several Daesh attacks since then, including a deadly Istanbul nightclub shooting on New Year’s in 2017.
At its peak in 2015, Daesh controlled a swath of territory across Iraq and Syria, half the size of the United Kingdom. It was notorious for its brutality against religious minorities, as well as Muslims who do not follow the terrorists’ ideology.
After years of fighting, the U.S.-led coalition broke the group’s last hold on territory in late 2019, but Daesh cells in multiple countries continue to carry out periodic attacks.
Türkiye’s Supreme Election Council (YSK) on Friday rejected the CHP’s objection to the court injunction tied to the party’s congress dispute, ruling that the interim measure issued by an Ankara appeals court was final and not subject to further appeal.
YSK Chairman Serdar Mutta said the decision issued by the Ankara Regional Court of Justice’s 36th Civil Chamber had been formally transmitted to the board on Thursday evening and reviewed during Friday’s session.
According to Mutta, the board unanimously ruled that the injunction decision could not be challenged under the current legal framework, citing the Civil Procedure Code and the absence of a legal mechanism to object to interim injunctions issued at the appeals stage.
The board also declined to issue a separate ruling regarding requests submitted by CHP representatives linked to changes in the party’s YSK representation following the reinstatement of former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
YSK further stated that it had no authority to enforce or execute decisions issued by civil courts, ordering the “absolute nullity” ruling to be returned without administrative action.
Mutta said the court’s full reasoned decision would be released at a later date.
Meanwhile, the Ankara Regional Court of Justice’s 36th Civil Chamber also rejected a separate legal objection filed by CHP headquarters against the injunction decision.
Senior figures from Türkiye’s main opposition CHP rallied behind party leader Özgür Özel on Friday after an Ankara appeals court ruled to temporarily remove the current party administration and reinstate former chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as CHP leader amid an ongoing congress dispute.
Speaking outside CHP headquarters in Ankara, CHP Group Deputy Chair Murat Emir rejected the ruling and said the party would continue resisting what he described as an unlawful intervention.
“We are at the party’s founding home and we will continue resisting together with millions,” Emir said.
He stated that CHP had appealed the ruling before Türkiye’s Supreme Election Council (YSK), arguing that the party congresses were conducted under the board’s supervision and authority.
“The congresses were held under the supervision and oversight of the YSK. Therefore, if the YSK is to continue existing as an institution, it must put an end to this unlawfulness at the constitutional level through a decision consistent with its previous rulings,” Emir said.
CHP Istanbul lawmaker Cemal Enginyurt also criticized the court decision, arguing that YSK rulings are final and cannot be overridden.
“The mentality that ignores the YSK shows that politics in Türkiye is finished,” Enginyurt said.
He also called on Kılıçdaroğlu not to accept the court-backed reinstatement, while expressing support for Özel.
Former CHP presidential candidate Muharrem Ince urged party members to remain calm, saying the CHP, founded during Türkiye’s War of Independence, could not be reshaped through courtrooms.
“We have survived coups, party closures and confiscations before. We will overcome this too,” Ince said.
Meanwhile, delegations from political parties and civil society organizations, and representatives from several unions and professional organizations, visited Özel at CHP headquarters following the court ruling.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the former Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), told current party chair Özgür Özel during a phone call that he would lead Türkiye’s main opposition party to a congress “at the most appropriate time” amid an escalating leadership dispute inside the CHP.
The conversation came after Özel earlier said a planned phone call between the two had not initially taken place because he was unable to reach Kılıçdaroğlu.
“Yesterday, it was stated that Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu would call me and that he had called. I returned his call around noon today, but when I called, his phone was switched off. Therefore, no conversation took place,” Özel previously told reporters.
The remarks follow mounting tensions inside the CHP after a court ruling temporarily reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu as party leader and suspended the current administration headed by Özel.
Asked about the party’s upcoming holiday schedule, Özel said the CHP leadership would remain at party headquarters in Ankara throughout the holiday period.
“Our determination continues. We are at the headquarters. We will continue protecting our party headquarters, our founding home,” Özel said.
He added that CHP officials would continue traditional holiday visits and meetings with other political parties both at CHP headquarters and at party offices across the capital.
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was searching for a political and legal path forward on Friday after a court ruling ousted its leader and annulled its congress.
A court in Ankara on Thursday ordered the removal of Özgür Özel and the current party administration from their positions. It ruled that the 2023 party congress, during which Özel was elected chair, was invalid due to irregularities.
The court ordered that former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and the party’s previous leadership temporarily take over the party’s administration.
The verdict, which is not yet final, has deepened a years-long internal rift and added uncertainty within the CHP by also voiding subsequent congresses, the new party program, bylaw changes and decisions taken under Özel’s leadership.
Özel rejected the ruling and said the party would appeal to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) and the Supreme Court of Appeals, while insisting the struggle would remain within the CHP rather than through the formation of a new political party. He also vowed to personally remain “day and night” in the CHP’s headquarters in Ankara.
The court on Friday upheld its ruling, rejecting the CHP’s appeal and leaving the party with the option to take the case to the Supreme Court of Appeals. If that court also upholds the decision, it would become final under Turkish law, ending the legal dispute over the congress.
The issue at stake is whether delegates were bribed to vote for Özel during the CHP leadership contest in November 2023. The case, brought by a former party member, has weighed on the party for years.
The Ankara court found that “the will of the delegates was corrupted” at the congress, making the leadership vote legally invalid. The ruling cited allegations that some delegates were offered money, municipal positions, jobs and other benefits in exchange for support during the congress that ended Kılıçdaroğlu’s 13-year tenure.
The CHP leadership has denied the accusations. The case was dismissed in October before later being reopened.
The ruling comes amid dozens of legal cases involving the CHP, with hundreds of party members and several mayors detained since last year in ongoing corruption investigations, including former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who has been in pre-trial detention since March 2025.
Kılıçdaroğlu led the CHP for more than a decade before unsuccessfully challenging long-serving President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election. Özel was chosen to replace Kılıçdaroğlu after the election defeat and sought to reposition the party.
Rival camps trade blame
The decision has effectively revived a bitter internal struggle that has simmered between Özel’s camp and Kılıçdaroğlu’s supporters since Özel’s victory.
At CHP headquarters in Ankara, supporters of Özel gathered late into the night, chanting slogans and waving flags, while police reinforced security around the building as rival claims to leadership intensified.
Inside and outside the party premises, emotions ran high. Some supporters removed a framed photograph of Kılıçdaroğlu from a display of past CHP chairs, while others tore it down and trampled it on the ground, shouting accusations against him.
In a notable early move after the ruling, Kılıçdaroğlu dismissed three party lawyers who had filed appeals against the decision, a step seen by party insiders as an attempt to quickly reassert control over the party’s legal and administrative apparatus.
Momentum within his camp appeared to grow in the wake of the ruling. According to party sources, 13-14 provincial chairpeople, including those from Adıyaman, Elazığ, Tunceli and Bingöl, contacted Kılıçdaroğlu to express support. Those same sources also claimed around 70 of the party’s 138 MPs had sent messages backing him, saying “we are with you.”
Supporters described the shift as broader than it appeared publicly, arguing that many officials had previously remained silent due to internal pressure.
Some lawmakers, however, rallied behind Özel and framed the ruling as an attempt to weaken the opposition through the courts.
CHP lawmaker Mahir Polat said the party should emerge “stronger and united” from the process, while another CHP deputy, Hüseyin Yıldız, urged members to respect the judicial decision and focus on preserving the party’s cohesion.
Outside the CHP, reactions reflected wider concern over the implications of the ruling for Turkish politics.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli called on both Kılıçdaroğlu and Özel to avoid deepening divisions and seek compromise in order to preserve the CHP’s institutional structure.
“Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu should undertake a historic responsibility in order not to hurt this deeply rooted institution and, within the framework permitted by law, he should waive his position in favor of reaching a joint formula for the future of the party,” Bahçeli said.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s path
Kılıçdaroğlu’s return has been accompanied by reports of early organizational moves and internal realignment discussions.
Party sources say he has begun consultations in Ankara on a possible road map and is expected to focus first on restoring internal order. According to CHP sources, it is considered “highly likely” that he will lead the party into the next election cycle before shaping its longer-term structure.
Kılıçdaroğlu is expected to proceed cautiously on structural changes. Sources close to him say he is unlikely to immediately call an extraordinary congress and instead may follow the party’s regular organizational calendar beginning later this year.
At the same time, internal dynamics remain unsettled. Officials who once served under Kılıçdaroğlu later joined Özel’s “change” movement, while others became mayors, parliamentary officials or resigned from party bodies, raising questions about how effectively authority can be reasserted across the organization.
Party sources say early discussions include the possible establishment of an internal ethics mechanism aimed at reviewing corruption allegations within the party.
The idea, described by insiders as part of a “clean politics” approach, is said to include the potential suspension of members under investigation, though no immediate decisions are expected.
Some within his camp are also considering disciplinary steps for members facing corruption allegations, but party officials say leadership is trying to avoid moves that could further inflame tensions.
No new party
Despite heated rhetoric, senior figures in both camps have so far signaled they do not support an outright split.
Talk of a possible breakaway has circulated in CHP circles for some time, with suggestions that Özel’s administration could operate a “reserve party” in case of prolonged legal uncertainty.
However, Özel has rejected that option for now, framing the fight as internal. “We are the landlords, tenants leave, landlords stay,” he said, underscoring his insistence on remaining within the party structure.
Due to an interim injunction, the appeals process is expected to take time, with some suggesting a final ruling may not come before the upcoming elections.
In that scenario, analysts say Özel’s camp could still revisit contingency plans, including a backup structure to field candidates if needed.
Political analysts say the CHP now faces one of the most serious institutional crises in its recent history.
The appeals process could take months, leaving the party caught between two competing centers of authority while Türkiye’s opposition landscape remains in flux ahead of future elections.
For Özel and his allies, the challenge will be maintaining political legitimacy and support within the party base while navigating an increasingly uncertain legal process.
For Kılıçdaroğlu, the task may prove equally delicate: reasserting authority over a divided party without triggering a deeper rupture inside the opposition.
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