Türkiye is seen as an island of stability that points to diplomacy and peace while crises emerge one after another in its region and in the world. The fifth Antalya Diplomatic Forum (ADF2026), one of the most important organizations supporting this stance of Turkish foreign policy, will be held in Antalya on 17-19 April, under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The theme of this year’s forum will be “Dealing with Uncertainties While Designing Tomorrow”.

This theme emphasizes the importance of being able to foresee and effectively address problems in order to build a better future. On the first day of the forum, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan are expected to deliver the opening speeches. Within the scope of the forum, sessions will be held in the format of “Leader Panels, ADFPanels, ADFRounds, ADFTalks”. World brands in their fields will take part in these sessions.

PRESIDENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES WILL COME

ADF2026 will bring together leaders, decision-makers, diplomats, academics, business experts, media and civil society representatives to explore ways to best manage uncertainties, address urgent issues and prepare for future challenges. Participants will discuss global trends and regional dynamics, exchange ideas on possible solutions and share best practice examples through keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive sessions and bilateral discussions.

Last year, ADF was attended by 155 countries, 21 of whom were heads of state and government and 61 of whom were ministers. This year’s theme, “Dealing with Uncertainties While Designing Tomorrow”, emphasizes the importance of being able to foresee and effectively address problems in order to build a better future. This theme underlines the need to stay ahead of developments by identifying risks and opportunities, developing strategies and transforming the knowledge gained into concrete actions.

AK Party Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik answered the questions of Sabah Newspaper Ankara Representative Okan Müderrisoğlu and A Haber Ankara Representative Murat Akgün in the A Haber live broadcast. Making evaluations about the war that started with the attack of Israel and the USA on Iran, Çelik noted that the activity in the region is not just about the conflicts on the field. Çelik said, “This traffic we are talking about also shows the lobby fights in the background of the war. On the one hand, there is a war lobby led by Israel, and this lobby has a serious counterpart in America.” Drawing attention to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s unique experience among world leaders, Çelik said: “If Turkey had acted as a mediator instead of Oman, the parties would not have been able to leave the table so easily. Our President’s command of the Iran file is unlike any other head of state in the world. Our President is the most experienced among the leaders who came to power through democratic elections.”

WE ARE AT THE THRESHOLD OF IRREVERSIBILITY
Stating that the world order is now at an irreversible threshold, Çelik stated that the status quo established after the Second World War is being shaken and said, “As we were saying, the order established after the Second World War is being shaken. This order is now abolished. When we look from the period when NATO was established, one of the main indicators was the disarmament of Japan and Germany, but today we see that these seams are bursting.” Stating that the Kurds are not tools of imperialist games in the Middle East, Çelik said, “The first is that our Kurdish brothers in Iran and Iraq act with extreme common sense. The Israeli side, rather than the United States, tried to make them a part of the war, but our Kurdish brothers showed admirable common sense in both Iraq and Iran. Even if they had problems with the Iranian regime, they did not become a party to this injustice and stood on the right side of history.”

THE UNIFYING POWER OF Türkiye
Underlining the trust of the people of the region in Türkiye, Çelik said: “All the Kurds in the region know that when Erdogan says something, it is not only for the benefit of Türkiye, but also for their benefit. Today, Turkey is taking initiatives through every channel to ensure that everyone stays out of the conflict, and this has a direct impact on the power elements in the region.” Reminding Türkiye’s unifying power, Çelik said, “While even the cities next to each other cannot talk, Turkey can talk to both sides. Today, the agenda in the world press, from Brazil to China, is President Erdoğan’s political strategy.” Stating that there is intense diplomatic traffic for peace, Ömer Çelik said, “Right now, Turkey is leading this, speaking loudly for peace. Pakistan, Egypt, Qatar and other Gulf countries are making great efforts. However, as long as America’s support continues, it is not possible to stop Israel with any rules. The world needs to balance this and establish various mechanisms.”

THE MOST CRITICAL SUMMIT IN NATO HISTORY
Stating that the most critical summit in NATO history will be held in Türkiye, Çelik said, “The summit will be a matter of ‘ok or continue’, especially between Europeans and Americans. As a security organization, there is still no alternative for the Western alliance.”

The Presidential Cabinet convened under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Speaking after the meeting that lasted 2.5 hours, President Erdoğan said:

NO EARLY OR INTERMEDIATE ELECTIONS: Our government is in control of its agenda. No one can impose an agenda on us; No one can divert or infect Türkiye’s agenda with artificial discussions, under any pretext. I want it to be known that early or midterm elections are not included in the near-term political coordinates of neither our government nor our nation.

SAFE PORT TURKEY: Today, we see that our investments, which the opposition decried as “waste” and “what is the need”, put Türkiye in a very advantageous position in global competition. We are very pleased to see that Türkiye stands out as an “island of stability” and a “safe haven” in the future plans of international investors.

CLOSURE OF HORMIS: The global economy is facing one of the most severe shocks in recent history. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. The closure of Hormuz affects not just one sector; It is deeply shaking the global economy in every field, from energy to agriculture, from industry to technology.

Türkiye IS OUTSIDE THE POSITIVE PICTURE: Europe’s energy bill has increased by 17 billion dollars in the last 30 days. We do not have any problems with energy supply security, supply and storage. Türkiye does not have any LNG supply from Basra or through Hormuz. Although approximately 10 percent of our oil and petroleum product imports come from here, these are rates that we can easily manage.

President Erdoğan met with the personnel of the General Directorate of Protection Services on the occasion of the 181st anniversary of the Turkish Police Organization. Police officers who achieved success in various sports branches also took part in the meeting.

WE HAVE TAKEN OUR PRECAUTIONS: The value of our energy source country diversification policy, which the opposition has criticized us for years, is being understood these days. We had already made our fertilizer and raw material supplies long ago. Since the war, we have reduced the customs duty to zero in order to supply urea fertilizer from alternative countries at affordable prices.

PROTECTION SHIELD FOR CITIZENS: Our reserves that we have accumulated for the purpose of using them “in need” are equally sufficient and strong. The ratio of our external debt and total external financing needs to national income is below historical averages. We are at a much stronger point in terms of basic indicators compared to the external shocks encountered in the past.

THEY ARE LIKE HITLER TO THEIR OWN CITIZENS: Those who undermine peace today just to extend their political lives should not forget that they will also need peace, justice and law tomorrow. History is full of countless examples of this. Today, those who follow Hitler’s footsteps play the role of “Hitler” not only towards humanity but also towards their own citizens. It is time for the international community to say “stop” to this trend.

EVERYONE SHOULD ACT RESPONSIBLY: Our region is being tried to be redesigned; In this period when new walls are wanted to be built between Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Persians, it is our sincere hope that political party groups will approach the issue from this perspective.

NEW DOORS WILL OPEN AHEAD

Safer alternatives in energy transmission lines have begun to be discussed. In line with our instructions, our economic staff team is working hard to position Türkiye strongly as a regional management center for multinational companies and to transform it into a global center of attraction in transit trade. We wholeheartedly believe that this global crisis will open new doors for our country, just like the epidemic period.

WE CANNOT REMAIN UNREGISTERED

We are on the side of right, law, peace and stability, as we have throughout history. While there is fire, conflict and destruction in a country right next to us, and civilians and civilian infrastructure are being targeted, we can never remain indifferent. We cannot feel comfortable while our brothers, to whom we have been turning to the same qibla for 14 centuries, are in trouble. As Türkiye; We have fulfilled the requirements of our law of brotherhood in the best possible way since the first day of this war that affected Iran and the Gulf. We did not hesitate to call right right and wrong wrong, no matter who did it. We pointed out that as the war drags on, the fire may spread to other countries.

TERRORISM-FREE Türkiye

Both the course of the world and the developments in our region, to strengthen our “internal front” in our country; It has shown the importance of the terrorism-free Türkiye process that we initiated to strengthen peace, security and brotherhood. The process, which we care about for its success, has thankfully crossed many critical thresholds and emerged stronger from resistance tests in the 17-month period. Our National Solidarity, Fraternity and Democracy Commission has set the horizon for the process with its final report written and approved in the spirit of reconciliation. A general consensus has emerged in the political institution that the process should be carried out with common sense and on the basis of consensus.

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Deniz Göleli, İnan Güney, İsmail Akkaya, Mehmet Akif Bulut, Sabriye Akkaya, Seyhan Özcan and Veysel Eren Güven were listed as ‘suspects’. İnan Güney’s Serkan Ö. and Serkan Ö., who is an official but not an official partner of a company of which Rauf Cem I. is an official, that he tied illegal tenders and direct works to this company, that he carried out these works through Kağan S., a ‘criminal organization member’, under the instructions of Ekrem İmamoğlu during the periods when he was BELTAŞ General Manager and Beyoğlu Mayor, and that he is an official of the company of which he is an unofficial partner. It was written that he and Güney were classmates from university. In the indictment, it was stated that Güney was known to be the unofficial partner of the company in question by many companies and individuals operating in outdoor advertising channels, and that Güney spent his unfair profits on İmamoğlu and his own illegal political ambitions.

THE NUMBER OF DEFENDANTS INCREASED TO 414

After the indictment was accepted by the Istanbul 40th High Criminal Court, the number of defendants in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality ‘Corruption’ case increased to 414, including 92 detained and 5 complainants.

REQUEST FOR UP TO 35 YEARS IN JAIL FOR GÜNEY

In the indictment, it was requested that İnan Güney, Deniz Göleli, İsmail Akkaya, Mehmet Akif Bulut, Sabriye Akkaya, Seyhan Özcan and Veysel Eren Güven be sentenced to imprisonment from 14 to 35 years separately for the crimes of ‘fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations’ and ‘aiding an organization established for the purpose of committing a crime without being a member of it’.

Breaking news… AK Party Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik answered the questions of Sabah Newspaper Ankara Representative Okan Müderrisoğlu and journalist Murat Akgün in A Haber.

Highlights from Ömer Çelik’s statements are as follows:

“The war lobby is the biggest obstacle to a ceasefire. Iran wants a permanent ceasefire and compensation. There must be a guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again. What the USA and Israel are doing is against the UN and the law. On the other hand, there is a lobby that says this should not be undertaken or that it should stop in one place from the moment it is undertaken; these two structures are fighting within themselves.

On the one hand, there is talk of ‘destroying it overnight’, on the other hand, papers are coming and going, there is an intense paper traffic. However, if this traffic had happened before the war broke out, it would have made sense. This is not a framework that Iran, whose head of state has been killed, bombed, or severely attacked, can accept.

Iran’s demand is primarily for a permanent peace, not a temporary ceasefire. They also want this process to be resolved not gradually, but by both parties reaching the same point at the same time. Iran questions how it will be compensated for the heavy damage it has faced and what the compensation for these attacks will be. Iran was attacked twice while at the negotiating table. The question they are asking now is this: If the ceasefire is temporary, what is the guarantee that they will not come up with a heavier attack?

This is not a framework that Iran, whose head of state has been killed, bombed, or severely attacked, can accept. Iran’s demand is primarily for a permanent peace, not a temporary ceasefire. They also want this process to be resolved not gradually, but by both parties reaching the same point at the same time. Iran questions how it will be compensated for the heavy damage it has faced and what the compensation for these attacks will be.

Iran was attacked twice while at the negotiating table. The question they are asking now is this: If the ceasefire is temporary, what is the guarantee that they will not come up with a heavier attack? An answer must be given to this question. Because there is a situation against international law, there is no United Nations decision, and while negotiations are ongoing under the mediation of Oman, you are attacking a country saying ‘I will change the regime’. This has now become a regional issue. After this unjust and unlawful aggression by America and Israel, Iran’s responses turned into attacks on regional countries.

The way out of this is to have a regional security architecture on the table. This issue is now an inevitable necessity. While Brazil was President Lula, our President was Prime Minister, and Iran was President Ahmadinejad, the P5+1 could not reach a conclusion in the nuclear negotiations. Our President and Lula took the initiative and achieved what the permanent members of the United Nations and Germany could not do, and the nuclear agreement was signed. This well-deserved nuclear process was eliminated by President Trump in his first term. Behind this was the war lobby in Israel, which has wanted to turn this situation into a physical attack ever since.

This was Iran’s first international agreement 25 years after the revolution. Even though Israel stood up, Iran agreed to transfer its enriched uranium to a third country. While our President and Lula were chatting, the footsteps of the approaching war could be heard. Mr. Lula: ‘What can we do here?’ When he asked, that old meeting came to my mind. In fact, this matter was resolved that day. If it had not been corrupted by Trump, nuclear weapons and nuclear energy would have been separated and Iran would have been opened to inspection.

If Türkiye had acted as mediator instead of Oman, the parties would not have been able to leave the table so easily. Our President’s command of the Iranian file is unlike any other head of state in the world. Our President is the most experienced leader who came to power through democratic elections.

Diplomacy is done with your opponent, your enemy. Dropping bombs on someone sitting at a table and killing their head of state; It means that the order established after the Second World War is now abolished. “No one can talk about the existence of this order anymore.”

The gendarmerie proceedings against Municipal Council member CT, Bolu Municipality Financial Services Manager NA and BolSev Chairman of the Board of Directors A.S, who were detained yesterday within the scope of the investigation launched by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against Bolu Municipality on February 28, have been completed. The suspects who were brought to the courthouse were referred to the duty judge’s office with a request for arrest after giving their statements to the prosecutor’s office. The 3 suspects were released on condition of judicial control by the on-duty judgeship.

THEY WERE ARRESTED AGAIN UPON OBJECTION

After the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office objected to the decision of the court on duty, the 3 suspects were detained again by the gendarmerie teams and sent to the courthouse. Municipal Council member CT, Bolu Municipality Financial Services Manager NA and BolSev Chairman AS were arrested by the 4th Criminal Court of First Instance.

THE FIRST OPERATION WAS DONE ON FEBRUARY 28

An “extortion” operation was carried out against Bolu Municipality on February 28, Mayor Tanju Özcan and Deputy Mayor Süleyman Can, Financial Services Manager NA, BolSev Foundation Chairman AS, Municipal Council members HES, B.Ö. and CG, former Police Chief HY, former Human Resources Manager and current Fire Chief MA, former Registrar TA, former Municipal Council member and Bolu Bel AŞ Chairman ET, Zoning Director SP and Zoning Directorate staff YB were detained.

Tanju Özcan and Süleyman Can were arrested, and the other 11 suspects were released on condition of judicial control. Özcan was suspended from his duty by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Within the scope of the investigation, yesterday, Municipal Council member C.T., Bolu Municipality Financial Services Manager NA and BolSev Chairman AS, who were previously released on the condition of judicial control, were detained again, and the gendarmerie searched the municipality building and the suspects’ homes, workplaces and vehicles.