Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalın met with Lt. Gen. Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of the Libyan National Army, in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, security sources said on Tuesday.

According to information obtained from sources, the talks focused on efforts to preserve stability in Libya and advance the country’s political and military unification process.

The two sides discussed ways to maintain the current atmosphere of peace and strengthen efforts aimed at bringing Libya’s rival eastern and western administrations, as well as their military forces, under a single authority.

Forces from the east and west-based administrations were joined by military elements from Türkiye and the U.S. earlier this month for exercises in Sirte in the first such joint event since 2014.

Kalın and Haftar also reviewed bilateral relations between Türkiye and Libya, discussing opportunities to expand cooperation across various sectors and further strengthen the partnership between the two countries.

Türkiye has remained actively engaged in Libya through diplomatic, economic and security cooperation initiatives, while supporting efforts aimed at preserving the country’s territorial integrity, political unity and long-term stability.

The talks in Benghazi reflect Ankara’s continued engagement with key actors across Libya as international and regional stakeholders seek progress toward reconciliation and the establishment of unified state institutions.

Turkish Defense Ministry previously said that Türkiye always supported United Nations-led processes in Libya and maintained contacts with “all sides.”

It noted Türkiye trained more than 23,000 Libyan military personnel, both in Türkiye and Libya, and was continuing to support Libya in several fields, from demining to defusal of unexploded ordnance, counterterrorism, the fight against irregular migration and smuggling.

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Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, the Patriach of the Syriac Orthodox Church, was received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday at the presidential complex in Ankara. The patriarch was accompanied by a delegation of clerics from the community. No statements were made about the meeting.

Erdoğan has also received Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew last Tuesday.

The Syriac community had their first church in Republic era built under Erdoğan’s governments. The church was opened in 2023 in Istanbul’s Yeşilköy neighborhood in a ceremony attended by Erdoğan. It is estimated that about 17,000 Syriac residents live in the city. Assyrian Christianity traces its history to communities that lived in the A.D. first century in a region stretching from southeastern Türkiye to Syria and Iraq.

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Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu on Tuesday rejected the unrealistic proposals regarding the future of the island, reaffirming that Türkiye’s effective and active guarantorship remains indispensable for the Turkish Cypriot people.

In a written statement addressing recent discussions over possible settlement models and renewed negotiations on the divided island, Ertuğruloğlu accused the Greek Cypriot side of promoting what he called “unrealistic scenarios” aimed at shaping public perception.

He argued that claims of a new formula for resolving the Cyprus issue reflected the failure of alternative approaches and warned against expectations built around proposals that, in his view, lack a realistic political foundation.

Ertuğruloğlu also criticized suggestions that territorial concessions by the Turkish Cypriot side could lead to partial international recognition, saying such proposals would undermine the constitutional and territorial integrity of the TRNC.

Addressing security arrangements, the foreign minister strongly rejected reports suggesting that Türkiye’s guarantor role could be replaced by a NATO-backed security mechanism.

“Türkiye’s guarantorship is indispensable for the Turkish Cypriot people and remains a red line,” Ertuğruloğlu said, adding that alternative guarantees would not provide the same level of security or legitimacy.

The minister questioned why new negotiation scenarios were being discussed despite the conclusion of recent informal meetings on Cyprus. He noted that meetings held in the 5+1 format in 2021 and 2025 produced a shared assessment that there was currently no common ground for launching formal negotiations.

Ertuğruloğlu further argued that key issues remain unresolved, including the Turkish Cypriots’ political and economic isolation, the status of sovereign equality between the two sides, and the Greek Cypriot administration’s claim to represent the entire island internationally.

Reiterating the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s long-standing position, Ertuğruloğlu stressed that the future of Cyprus should be based on cooperation between two sovereign and equal states rather than the creation of a new partnership structure.

“The only realistic solution to the Cyprus issue is a relationship built on sovereign equality and good-neighborly relations between two states,” he said.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and the United States during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, reaffirming Türkiye’s support for efforts aimed at securing a peaceful outcome and urging vigilance against attempts to undermine the negotiation process, the Communications Directorate said.

During the call, Erdoğan said the agreement reached between Iran and the United States was a positive development and reiterated that Türkiye was ready to provide any support necessary to help ensure the process concludes peacefully.

The president also stressed the importance of remaining alert to actors seeking to sabotage the negotiations, emphasizing the need to preserve the momentum toward a lasting resolution.

In a separate phone call, President Erdoğan spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi to discuss bilateral ties, as well as regional and global developments.

Erdoğan expressed Türkiye’s desire to further strengthen relations with Iraq in the coming period, highlighting significant opportunities for cooperation in energy, the defense industry and transportation. He also invited al-Zaidi to visit Türkiye for comprehensive consultations on advancing the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Türkiye has consistently advocated diplomacy and dialogue as the preferred means of addressing regional disputes and has expressed support for efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East.

The U.S. and Iran shared cautious optimism Monday following the first round of peace talks in Switzerland, with Vice President JD Vance calling the discussions a “good foundation” for ending the war and the Iranian president praising the degree of consensus reached.

The negotiators aim to tackle some of the most intractable issues that have dogged U.S.-Iranian relations for decades, including Tehran’s nuclear program and enriched uranium.

Under the terms of last week’s preliminary deal, released by U.S. officials, Iran will dilute its enriched uranium stocks, possibly by “down-blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA”, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.

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Two Turkish citizens were injured in a drone attack targeting a Turkish-owned, Panama-flagged vessel off the coast of Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port on Monday, according to a statement by Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said the injured crew members are being closely monitored by Türkiye’s Embassy in Kyiv and its Consulate General in Odesa.

In its statement, the ministry expressed concern over attacks in the Black Sea that threaten Türkiye’s interests and regional security as a result of the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war.

“Türkiye has conveyed its discomfort regarding attacks that threaten our interests and regional security in the Black Sea to the authorities of both countries,” the ministry said.

The ministry stressed that ensuring the safety of civilian maritime navigation in the Black Sea remains one of Türkiye’s key priorities and called on all parties to take steps to reduce tensions in the region.

The incident comes amid continued security risks to commercial shipping routes in the Black Sea, where attacks linked to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine have periodically disrupted maritime traffic and raised concerns over the safety of civilian vessels.

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Preparations are intensifying in Türkiye’s capital ahead of the NATO Summit scheduled for July 7-8, with authorities implementing extensive security measures, infrastructure upgrades and temporary restrictions across the city.

Teams have accelerated road maintenance, landscaping and security-related works along key routes expected to be used by visiting heads of state, government officials and delegations attending the alliance’s annual gathering.

Road crews have been repaving sections of the route connecting Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport to the city center, while new pedestrian safety barriers are being installed along major thoroughfares. Several buildings located on protocol routes are undergoing facade renovations, and visual barriers have been erected in some areas to improve the appearance of key corridors ahead of the summit.

The preparations come as Türkiye gets ready to host one of NATO’s most significant diplomatic events, bringing together leaders and senior officials from member states amid ongoing discussions on regional security, defense cooperation and global challenges.

Meanwhile, Ankara authorities announced a series of security measures aimed at ensuring the smooth conduct of the summit and maintaining public order.

In a statement, the Ankara Governor’s Office said restrictions would be in place between June 28 and July 10, covering a wide range of public activities throughout the capital.

The statement noted that authorities had taken necessary precautions to safeguard summit venues, accommodation facilities designated for delegations and official transit routes.

Access by unauthorized individuals and vehicles to designated sensitive areas will be restricted during the event, according to the governor’s office.

Authorities also announced a ban on all drone flights within Ankara’s airspace during the period unless special permission is granted by the governor’s office.

In addition, public gatherings and demonstrations, including marches, press statements, sit-ins, hunger strikes, protests, rallies, the establishment of stands or tents, and the distribution of leaflets, brochures and banners, will be prohibited from midnight on June 28 until 11:59 p.m. on July 10.

Officials said the measures were introduced to ensure public safety, protect visiting delegations and maintain order as Ankara hosts the high-profile NATO gathering next month.

On the other hand, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inaugurated the newly modernized Ankara Airport last Monday, saying 2026 was shaping up to be a “year of summits” for Türkiye.

The former Etimesgut Air Base, which underwent a comprehensive modernization program, has been reopened as Ankara Airport and will serve both domestic and international operations.

The airport is expected to reduce pressure on the capital’s key hub, Esenboğa Airport, during major international events and high-level visits and ease congestion on its road network.

“2026 continues to be a year of summits for Türkiye, a country striving to reach the top in every field,” Erdoğan said at the inauguration ceremony.

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