Politics
FM Fidan discusses Mideast crisis with Italian counterpart
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call Tuesday with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the ongoing war in the Middle East, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
Regional escalation has flared since Israel and the U.S. launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28. Over 1,200 people have since been killed and thousands of others injured.
Tehran has refused to surrender and retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries that are home to U.S. military assets.
Turkish officials have intensified phone diplomacy with several states while urging restraint and calling for diplomatic solutions to the regional crisis.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan spoke separately with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The discussions focused on the risks posed by the ongoing war and attacks affecting third countries.
Fidan also spoke with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, exchanging views on possible steps to reduce tensions in the region.
Most recently, in another call on Tuesday, Fidan told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that any violation of Turkish airspace was unacceptable and said Türkiye would continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its security.
Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş continues to pledge a safer era for children in the digital world, informing reporters on Monday after a Cabinet meeting that a new regulation will be in force within six months to regulate social media use for children under the age of 15.
Göktaş said the world was adapting to similar practices and that Ankara had developed its own model. “We specifically examined the Australia (model) and made assessments to address any shortcomings in that model.”
Göktaş said a new law involving social media regulations will create safer digital spaces for children and promote controlled use. She said they aimed to prevent children’s exposure to content not suitable for their ages and development. The minister stated that the ministry has set up a working group for setting the rules in the implementation of the regulations on social media and is in coordination with all relevant public agencies.
“This working group will soon establish the rules, and the regulation will be in force within six months,” she said.
She noted that the efforts would not be limited to a single legal regulation but would include a comprehensive technical infrastructure and application mechanisms. She also pointed out that the new law assigned responsibilities to social network providers and that authorities would implement an age verification system, particularly through the e-Government portal. The system will be maintained in coordination with the Cybersecurity Directorate of the Turkish Presidency and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK).
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday pledged to build a stronger and “terror-free Türkiye” for younger generations, saying the country would continue advancing toward its “Century of Türkiye” vision with youth at the forefront.
Speaking during a reception for young people and national athletes at the Presidential Complex in Ankara to mark the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s youth represented the “pioneers, architects and guides” of a new era for the country.
“We are trying to free our country from a half-century-old scourge through the process of a terror-free Türkiye while also strengthening our national unity and solidarity,” Erdoğan said. “Our greatest goal is for you not to experience the hardships and difficulties that we endured.”
The president said Türkiye would continue investing in youth “in every field” as it moves toward its long-term national goals.
Erdoğan also highlighted the historical significance of May 19, 1919, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in Samsun and launched the War of Independence against occupying forces following World War I.
“The first page of our epic National Struggle was written on May 19, 1919, with the youth of Anatolia and with the ink of our nation’s independence and future,” he said.
During the program, Erdoğan met with young participants and athletes from across Türkiye and abroad, answering questions and holding informal discussions.
In a lighter moment during the gathering, Erdoğan said he still plays basketball three times a week and joked that he scored 68 points during a morning game.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned events and statements held in Greece on May 19 over so-called “Pontus” allegations, criticized Athens for distorting history and exploiting historical grievances for political purposes.
In a statement marking the anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s arrival in Samsun in 1919 – the beginning of Türkiye’s War of Independence against occupying powers, including Greece – the ministry said Greece continues to promote “groundless claims lacking any legal basis” through legislation adopted in 1994 and educational programs taught in schools nationwide.
The ministry said Greece was attempting to cover up “its own atrocities and war crimes” committed during the occupation of western Anatolia after the failed pursuit of the “Megali Idea,” referring to the expansionist vision that sought to unite former Byzantine territories under Greek rule.
Türkiye stressed that crimes committed by the Greek army during the occupation were documented in Allied investigation commission reports and recorded in Article 59 of the Lausanne Peace Treaty.
Calling on Greek authorities to stop “abusing history for political concerns,” Ankara urged Athens to remember massacres committed against Turks and other ethnic groups, beginning with the Tripolitsa massacre in 1821 and continuing during the Greek occupation of Izmir and western Anatolia after May 15, 1919.
The ministry also urged Greece to abandon rhetoric that fuels hostility and instead adopt a constructive approach aimed at improving bilateral ties through peace and cooperation.
The head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Ibrahim Kalın, met Syrian President Ahmad al‑Sharaa in Damascus on Monday as Türkiye and Syria continue efforts to strengthen coordination on regional developments and bilateral cooperation.
The meeting, held at the People’s Palace in the Syrian capital, was attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and General Intelligence Director Hussein al-Salamah, according to Syrian officials.
Discussions focused on recent regional developments and ways to deepen cooperation and coordination between Ankara and Damascus amid ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two neighboring countries.
Kalın, a key figure in Türkiye-Syria relations, became the first senior Turkish official to visit Damascus under the new administration. On Dec. 12, the Turkish spymaster prayed at the historic Umayyad Mosque amid heavy security measures.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a phone call Tuesday that escalating regional tensions have once again demonstrated the strategic importance of relations between Türkiye and the European Union.
The call covered Türkiye-European Union relations alongside regional and global developments, the Turkish Communications Directorate said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
During the call, Erdoğan said Türkiye has been working to maintain a cease-fire and ensure peace in the ongoing conflict in the region, adding that the Strait of Hormuz should also be reopened as soon as possible.
He added that Israel seeks the continuation of conflicts in the region and continues to violate international law, including acts described as piracy, stressing the need to boost international pressure on Israel.
Erdoğan also underlined that Türkiye’s inclusion in Europe’s security strategy initiatives would be beneficial, that the Turkish-EU Customs Union needs to be updated, and that cooperation should be expanded across all fields in order to strengthen economic integration and advance shared interests.
Burhanettin Duran, head of communications for the Turkish Presidency, said Tuesday that access to 1,352 additional social media accounts linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) had been blocked, bringing the total number of restricted accounts to 1,731.
In a statement posted on the social media platform NSosyal, Duran said Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications continued to carry out “comprehensive digital monitoring and analysis” efforts aimed at countering online propaganda and disinformation activities linked to terrorist groups.
Duran recalled that authorities had previously identified and restricted access to 379 accounts affiliated with FETÖ. Following further technical analysis and digital network investigations, authorities determined that 1,352 more accounts were connected to the group, he noted.
He also said legal action and access restrictions had been imposed on 361 additional social media accounts accused of “praising terrorism, encouraging extremist propaganda and conducting psychological operations against Türkiye.”
According to Duran, the measures were implemented in coordination with the Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry and other state institutions.
“The analyses clearly revealed that these digital structures systematically produced disinformation, carried out coordinated propaganda activities and acted in an organized manner to manipulate public opinion,” Duran said.
Duran stressed that Türkiye is continuing its fight against terrorism not only in the physical sphere but also across digital platforms under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“No terrorist organization, its affiliates or any digital operation targeting our national security will be tolerated,” he said, adding that Turkish institutions remained on alert against online threats.
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