Türkiye on Wednesday warned the Greek Cypriot administration against turning the island of Cyprus into a target amid the ongoing Iran war, saying growing militarization on the island threatens regional stability while reaffirming its commitment to protect Turkish Cyprus.

Defense Ministry sources said the Greek Cypriot side has, in recent years, made the island a target by allowing the accumulation of weapons on the island and permitting other countries to use it for military purposes.

“As a guarantor country, our country continues to take additional measures to ensure the security of not only the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) but the entire island,” the sources said.

The ministry also rejected as “null and void” a recent notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Greek Cypriot administration in the Eastern Mediterranean, describing it as an attempt to create jurisdictional confusion and disregard the rights of the TRNC.

The remarks came after a weekly press briefing at the 10th Main Jet Base Command in Incirlik, where ministry officials responded to questions from reporters.

The ministry said the Greek Cypriot administration has periodically taken similar steps, issuing notices that it said aim to undermine TRNC authority.

The TRNC authorities on Monday issued a counter-NOTAM declaring the Greek Cypriot notice invalid. The disputed NOTAM covered a wide maritime area south and east of Cyprus, including sections of airspace claimed by the TRNC. It advised aircraft flying up to 5,486 meters to exercise caution due to possible military activity and to remain in contact with Greek Cypriot air traffic control.

A NOTAM is an official aviation notice informing pilots of potential hazards, restrictions or changes in airspace that could affect flight operations.

TRNC authorities said air traffic and aeronautical information services within the Ercan advisory airspace fall solely under their jurisdiction.

“The NOTAM published by the Greek Cypriot administration is invalid and has no legal effect,” TRNC officials said, urging aircraft to follow official aviation information and coordinate with TRNC air traffic units.

The notice initially cited “U.S. military operations” before being revised to “possible military operations.” Maps published by the Greek Cypriot side marked areas extending from Türkiye’s southern coast to Turkish Cyprus.

The dispute comes as regional tensions have intensified following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, with spillover effects reaching Cyprus, which remains divided between Turkish Cyprus in the north and the Greek Cypriot administration in the south, an EU member not recognized by guarantor Türkiye. The TRNC, established in 1983, is recognized only by Türkiye.

Earlier this month, a drone struck a British base on the island, highlighting its exposure to escalating conflict. Greek Cypriot authorities said the drone was likely launched by Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Following the incident, several European countries pledged to send air defense systems and other military assets to Greek Cyprus, while France deployed an aircraft carrier, a frigate and air defense units to the Mediterranean.

Ankara too deployed six F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems to the TRNC on March 9, describing the move as a legitimate measure to strengthen deterrence and protect airspace against rising missile and drone threats.

Turkish officials said the growing presence of foreign military elements on the island reinforces their concerns about militarization and supports the legitimacy of Türkiye’s actions. They emphasized the deployment was part of broader efforts to ensure security in the Eastern Mediterranean.

There is also unease on the Turkish side over the Greek Cypriot administration’s expanding military cooperation with Western partners, particularly after the United Kingdom allowed the United States to use its military facilities in Greek Cyprus.

British installations, including a Royal Air Force base, have played a key logistical role in Western operations in the Middle East in recent years.

2nd Patriot system deployed

Separately, Türkiye is reinforcing its air defenses with NATO support as regional threats persist.

NATO was deploying a new Patriot missile battery at Incirlik air base, just days after a third ballistic missile from Iran was shot down.

“Another Patriot system … is being deployed … in addition to the existing Spanish Patriot system stationed there,” a ministry official told reporters at the Turkish air base, just outside the southern city of Adana.

The ministry did not say which country’s troops would be operating the new PAC-3 system.

Last Friday, Türkiye confirmed a third ballistic missile from Iran was shot down in Turkish airspace by NATO forces, the third such incident since the Middle East war started.

After the second interception, NATO deployed Patriot defenses in the central Malatya region, where the Kürecik air base is located, which houses a NATO early-warning radar system manned by U.S. troops that can detect Iranian missile launches.

Türkiye, which has maintained a neutral position in the war, has repeatedly assured the system was not used against Iran.

Iranian officials have insisted that they did not fire at Türkiye, although the available data shows that the missiles came from Iran, the Turkish foreign minister said on Saturday.

The Patriot is a mobile air-defence system designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, low-flying cruise missiles and aircraft.

The PAC-2 version has an interception range of up to 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) against aircraft and cruise missiles, while the PAC-3 has a range of 20 to 35 kilometers against ballistic missiles, according to U.S. Army data.

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Türkiye on Wednesday said NATO was deploying a new Patriot missile battery at Incirlik air base just days after a third ballistic missile from Iran was shot down in Turkish airspace.

“Another Patriot system… is being deployed… in addition to the existing Spanish Patriot system stationed there,” a Defense Ministry official told reporters at the Turkish air base, just outside the southern city of Adana.

The ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk did not say which country’s troops would be operating the new PAC-3 system.

He said the deployment of the battery came “in addition to the measures taken at the national level to ensure the security of our airspace and citizens.”

Last Friday, Türkiye confirmed a third ballistic missile from Iran was shot down in Turkish airspace by NATO forces, the third such incident since the Middle East war started.

After the second interception, NATO deployed Patriot defenses in the central Malatya region, where the Kürecik air base is located, which houses a NATO early-warning radar system manned by U.S. troops that can detect Iranian missile launches.

Türkiye, which has maintained a neutral position in the war, has repeatedly assured the system was not used against Iran.

“We are maintaining contact with the relevant country to fully clarify all aspects of the incident, taking all necessary measures with determination against any threats to our national security, and closely and carefully monitoring developments in our region,” Aktürk said.

Iranian officials have insisted that they did not fire at Türkiye, although the available data shows that the missiles came from Iran, the Turkish foreign minister said on Saturday.

The Patriot is a mobile air-defense system designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, low-flying cruise missiles and aircraft.

The PAC-2 version has an interception range of up to 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) against aircraft and cruise missiles, while the PAC-3 has a range of 20 to 35 kilometers against ballistic missiles, according to U.S. Army data.

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to visit Qatar on Thursday as part of a broader regional tour aimed at addressing escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Foreign Ministry announced in a statement.

According to the ministry sources, Fidan is expected to be received by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and to hold talks with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as part of his visit to Qatar.

Following the meetings, Fidan and his Qatari counterpart are expected to hold a joint news conference.

The exact timing of the meeting has not yet been finalized but is planned for around 5 p.m. local time.

Fidan’s visit follows his participation in a high-level meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, where regional developments were discussed with counterparts from several countries.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on March 17, Fidan had signaled the upcoming trip, saying he would embark on a regional tour to consult with countries on steps to halt the ongoing conflict.

“We will be visiting countries in the region starting tomorrow to discuss measures that can be taken to stop the war,” Fidan said.

The Turkish minister also held late-night talks in Riyadh on Wednesday with fellow foreign ministers, focusing on recent developments in the region and potential diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.

Türkiye has been actively engaging in diplomatic initiatives, calling for de-escalation and a return to dialogue amid growing instability in the Middle East.

The tensions in the region have escalated since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,000 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian top officials.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries, which it says are targeting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

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Turkish authorities have detained multiple suspects linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) in separate operations across the country, officials said, as part of ongoing efforts targeting the network accused of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt.

In northwestern Edirne province, police stopped two vehicles on the Edirne-Keşan highway and detained six suspects identified as alleged members of the group, along with two drivers. Following procedures at the police station, five of the suspects identified as B.A., Z.S., H.G., A.G. and G.G. were arrested on charges of membership in an armed terrorist group. Another suspect, M.A., was released under judicial supervision.

The two drivers, T.D. and H.E., who were referred to court on allegations of migrant smuggling, were also released under judicial control measures.

In a separate operation in central Kayseri province, counterterrorism and intelligence units detained a fugitive identified as Z.Ç., who had been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for FETÖ membership.

The suspect was apprehended at a hideout and later transferred to prison after processing.

Meanwhile, in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, police captured another fugitive identified as I.A., a former noncommissioned officer dismissed from service, who had been on the run since 2019. Authorities said he had been sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.

Officials said the suspect was detained at a residence in the Derince district and will be transferred to prison following police procedures.

Turkish authorities continue nationwide operations targeting individuals suspected of links to FETÖ, which Ankara designates as a terrorist group.

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Days ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, families of youths abducted by PKK terrorists have repeated calls for them to return home as they continue weekly protests in Türkiye’s eastern province of Muş.

The parents, who meet every Wednesday in front of the outside the local offices of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), say they are trying to make their voices heard by their children, many of whom they have not seen or heard from in years.

Holding banners reading “Mothers are resisting,” “We are on a vigil for our children,” and “Enough is enough, leave us alone,” the families call on their children to surrender and return home. Many carry photographs of their sons and daughters as they speak to passersby and members of the press.

Claiming to fight for Kurdish self-rule, the PKK lured many into its cause in the predominantly Kurdish southeast of Türkiye. For years, through intimidation, killings and bombings, it kept its grip on the Kurdish population.

Then, in September 2019, something rarely seen in the region happened. A group of mothers who had not heard from their children for years started a protest outside the offices of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which is known for its ties to the terrorist group. They claimed that the party staff helped the PKK to draw recruits. Under the guise of participation in “festivals” and similar events organized by the HDP, the Kurdish youth was brainwashed into joining the terrorist group.

The women’s simple protest in Diyarbakır soon grew into something larger and eventually led to a lengthy sit-in strike. “Children watch” as they themselves dubbed, drew some 384 families while fathers joined the sit-in strike. The protests have so far reunited some 62 families with their children.

The HDP later dissolved and evolved into the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), now part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative, which aims to support the PKK’s disarmament.

The protest is part of an ongoing effort by families across Türkiye whose children were recruited or abducted by the PKK, blacklisted as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the U.S. and the EU, and responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people in its four-decade campaign.

Among those taking part is Alaattin Koçhan, who said he has not received any news from his son for 12 years. Standing with his son’s photograph, he appealed directly for him to come back.

“I haven’t heard from my son for years,” Koçhan told reporters. “My son, what are you waiting for? Come out and come home. With so much conflict around us, what are you waiting for?”

He said holidays have become especially difficult for the family in his absence.

“Our holidays feel like days of mourning,” he said. “Wherever you are, come out and come back. We are waiting for you.”

Another father, Halit Altun, said the pain of separation has lasted for years and continues to weigh heavily on families like his.

“We have been longing for our children for years,” Altun said, noting that the upcoming Ramadan holiday is a painful reminder of their absence.

“We don’t know how holidays pass for us anymore,” he said. “We are thinking only of our children. We want them back. In these blessed days, we are only after our children. We want nothing else.”

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to attend a high-level meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday with Middle Eastern and Asian countries to discuss rising tensions linked to the Iran-centered conflict, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.

According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, the meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia, will also include representatives from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, Syria, and Jordan.

There are scant signs of de-escalation nearly three ⁠weeks ⁠into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that has engulfed the region and caused unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies.

Focus on containment

Sources indicated that Fidan is expected to emphasize the need to end the ongoing war through diplomatic and peaceful means, warning that failure to do so could cause long-term and irreversible damage to inter-state relations across the region.

NATO-member Türkiye, which neighbors Iran, had sought to mediate between Iran ⁠and ‌the United ‌States before the war ⁠began.

It has condemned ‌U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as a violation of international ⁠law, and also criticized ⁠Iran’s attacks on Gulf states as unacceptable.

Fidan is also expected to reiterate that recent attacks targeting Gulf countries are unacceptable and pose serious risks to the region’s future, while stressing the importance of restraint to prevent further escalation.

Fidan will likely call on regional actors to avoid being drawn into the conflict and highlight that a balanced and cautious approach is essential to prevent a wider war.

Türkiye’s diplomatic role

During the meeting, Fidan is expected to stress the growing importance of “regional ownership” in resolving crises, arguing that solutions to regional problems must increasingly be shaped by regional actors themselves.

He will reiterate Türkiye’s readiness to contribute to diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring stability and reducing tensions.

The Turkish foreign minister is also expected to warn that the expansion of the conflict could severely impact energy security, trade routes, and global economic stability.

Security risks, terrorism concerns

According to the sources, Fidan will point to the risk of emerging security vacuums in the region, cautioning that such instability could be exploited by terrorist organizations.

He is also expected to call for a more active role by the international community in preventing further escalation and de-escalating tensions.

Lebanon, Palestine

Fidan is expected to raise concerns over Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, warning that they could push the country toward fragmentation and trigger large-scale displacement.

He will also stress that the current escalation should not divert international attention from the Palestinian issue, underlining the importance of keeping the humanitarian crisis in Palestine high on the global agenda, according to the diplomatic sources.

The meeting takes place as the Middle East faces one of its most volatile periods in recent years.

The tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries, which it says are targeting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

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