Politics
Türkiye marks Hagia Sophia anniversary as major restoration advances
Turkish leaders on Friday marked the sixth anniversary of the reopening of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia as a mosque with commemorative messages, while authorities announced a new phase in the landmark’s ongoing restoration.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Hagia Sophia had regained its “original identity” six years ago after an 86-year hiatus.
“Hagia Sophia regained its original identity six years ago today after 86 years of longing,” Erdoğan said in a social media post. “God willing, this blessed place of worship will continue to fill our skies with the call to prayer forever. May the revival of Hagia Sophia be blessed.”
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş described the reopening as “not only the restoration of a place of worship but also a powerful expression of embracing our history and civilization.”
In a separate social media post, Kurtulmuş called Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque “one of the strongest symbols of a nation’s will engraved in history and its loyalty to a centuries-old trust.”
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli also commemorated the anniversary, saying the reopening of Hagia Sophia for worship would continue to frustrate what he described as domestic and foreign opponents.
Erdoğan’s foreword
Erdoğan also wrote the foreword to a newly published trilingual collection on Hagia Sophia, released Friday by Demirören Publishing in Turkish, English and Arabic.
In the foreword, Erdoğan said he believed Hagia Sophia would continue to illuminate humanity’s shared conscience and cultural memory beyond serving as a place of worship.
“Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, which filled the skies with the call to prayer for centuries and left an eternal echo in hearts, regained its original identity through the will of the nation on July 24, 2020, in keeping with the spirit of the conquest,” he wrote.
Erdoğan described Hagia Sophia as not only a place of worship but also “a monumental symbol of the nation’s historical consciousness, civilizational vision, strength of faith and the spirit of the conquest.”
The publication, titled “The Seal of the Conquest: Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque,” presents the site’s architectural, cultural and spiritual heritage through photographs and visual documentation.
Restoration enters new phase
Separately on Friday, the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s General Directorate of Foundations said the most extensive conservation, restoration and structural reinforcement project in the monument’s Republican-era history has entered a new stage.
Authorities have begun covering the temporary steel roof erected above the main dome with a high-security protective membrane to allow restoration work to continue safely.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the project is being carried out under the guidance of a scientific advisory board to protect the historic structure from weather conditions while preserving its original fabric.
“The mosaics are being secured, and all work is being carried out with great care without damaging the original structure,” Ersoy said in a social media statement marking the anniversary.
He said Türkiye remained committed to preserving Hagia Sophia through scientific conservation methods and passing it on to future generations.
“Hagia Sophia, one of the most valuable legacies of our civilization, will continue to live forever with the call to prayer, with prayers and with all its magnificence,” Ersoy said.
Authorities said comprehensive technical analyses concluded that the main dome requires structural reinforcement.
To carry out repairs to the dome’s lead covering and implement reinforcement measures, the existing lead panels will be removed for restoration or replacement. At the same time, conservation, restoration and strengthening work will be carried out on the interior mosaics.
Because the lead covering must be removed, officials decided to temporarily shield the dome with a steel structure and a protective membrane to prevent weather damage and protect the mosaics during construction.
The gray protective covering, selected to blend with the dome’s appearance, was chosen by a scientific advisory board of academics and conservation specialists following technical evaluations. It is made from flame-retardant material that meets high fire safety standards.
Engineers also completed structural calculations to ensure the temporary roof could withstand its weight and wind loads without affecting the monument.
Officials said the temporary protection system was carefully designed to avoid damaging the building’s historic fabric while allowing restoration work to proceed safely on both the interior and exterior of the dome.
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque will remain open to worshippers and visitors throughout the restoration project.
Originally built as a church, Hagia Sophia served as a Christian place of worship for 916 years before being converted into a mosque following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It became a museum under a 1934 Cabinet decree.
On July 10, 2020, Türkiye’s Council of State annulled the 1934 decree that had converted Hagia Sophia into a museum. Erdoğan signed a presidential decree the same day transferring the site to the Presidency of Religious Affairs and reopening it for Muslim worship.
The first Friday prayers at Hagia Sophia in 86 years were held on July 24, 2020, with Erdoğan among those attending.
The Türkiye-Africa partnership remains a strategic priority for the African Union, with efforts focused on turning existing cooperation frameworks into concrete programs that deliver measurable benefits, a senior AU official said Wednesday.
Gaspard Banyankimbona, the African Union commissioner for education, science, technology and innovation, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that cooperation with Türkiye, established under a framework launched in 2008 and strengthened by the 2021 Istanbul Declaration, continues to deepen.
“We are committed to translating this cooperation into measurable benefits for our people,” Banyankimbona said in an interview marking African Union Day on Sept. 9.
He said the AU was exploring deeper cooperation with Turkish institutions, particularly universities and organizations specializing in research and innovation, with an emphasis on partnership, mutual benefit and joint production.
The cooperation is expected to align education and skills initiatives with the AU’s Agenda 2063 development goals.
Banyankimbona also stressed the need for Africa to shift from being primarily a consumer of technology and knowledge to becoming a producer and developer.
With more than 60% of Africa’s population under 25, he said investment in education, digital infrastructure and innovation would be crucial to turning the continent’s demographic potential into economic gains.
He also called for efforts to transform Africa’s “brain drain” into “brain circulation” by strengthening research institutions, encouraging cooperation with the diaspora and creating incentives for skilled professionals to work across the continent.
Over the past 25 years, relations between Türkiye and African countries have expanded significantly across political, trade, security, defense, cultural and development sectors.
Türkiye increased the number of its embassies across Africa from 12 in 2002 to 44 by 2024, while the number of African embassies in Türkiye rose from 10 in 2008 to 38 in 2024. Mozambique and Botswana most recently decided to open embassies in Türkiye.
Economic ties have also strengthened. Türkiye signed trade and economic cooperation agreements with 50 African countries, investment agreements with 32 countries and defense industry cooperation agreements with 29 countries.
Trade volume between Türkiye and Africa rose from $4.3 billion in 2002 to approximately $40 billion by the end of 2025, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman said Wednesday that he and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides failed to reach an agreement on new confidence-building measures during talks aimed at advancing efforts on the divided island.
Erhürman said in a written statement following the hourlong meeting in the U.N.-controlled buffer zone that discussions focused primarily on confidence-building measures and the methodology for moving the process forward.
“During a significant part of the meeting, while we were unable to reach an agreement on new confidence-building measures, we conveyed our views regarding external and internal initiatives that are eroding even the existing trust,” Erhürman noted.
He stressed the importance of creating what U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described as a favorable climate for progress on the Cyprus issue.
Erhürman said this would require both implementing new confidence-building measures and avoiding steps that could undermine trust between the two sides.
He also said Maria Angela Holguin, the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy on Cyprus, would be unable to visit the island before the U.N. General Assembly because of illness.
The Turkish side strictly adheres to a two-state solution based on sovereign equality, as past efforts to reunify the island under a federal model have failed due to the Greek Cypriot administration’s reluctance to share power and resources.
The island has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, under the auspices of the guarantor countries.
The Greek Cypriot administration joined the European Union in 2004, the same year that Greek Cypriots rejected a U.N. plan to resolve the dispute in a referendum.
Erhürman and Christodoulides are scheduled to meet again in the buffer zone on Sept. 17. The meeting is expected to take place in Holguin’s absence.
Greece’s expanding defense alliances and armament programs have fueled concerns that they may come at odds with neighboring Türkiye, with which it still has a lingering dispute over maritime borders. Although Ankara and Athens appear committed to rapprochement after years of hostilities, Greece’s moves risk angering its neighbor.
The Greek military said on Wednesday that it will soon sign a deal to purchase two Italian multi-purpose FREMM frigates as part of a plan to invest billions of euros in its armed forces. Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that they wanted to prevent crises but admitted that Greece’s recent alliance with Israel had increased tensions with Türkiye.
“There is no danger on the ground. We have all scenarios ready for any tension, ready to respond on the ground,” Gerapetritis told Greece’s SKAI TV.
His remarks followed last week’s statements by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in which he insisted that Greece had “a right” to extend its maritime borders by 12 nautical miles in the Aegean, a major source of friction with Türkiye, which once vowed to declare war if Greece goes ahead with such a decision.
The agreement with Italy is set to be signed on September 8 in Rome for the so-called Bergamini-class frigates, which are modern warships designed for anti-submarine warfare, air defense and to engage targets at sea and on land. The first frigate will be handed over to the Greek Navy in the first half of 2028, and the second in the first half of 2029, according to the General Staff.
Greek shipyards are also set to participate in the maintenance and adaptation of the vessels, the Defense Ministry said. The purchase is part of Greece’s long-running program to modernize its armed forces, at a cost of more than 25 billion euros ($29.2 billion) by 2030.
In recent years, Greece has ordered four French FDI frigates and also plans to modernize its four MEKO-class frigates.
In parallel, the country is expanding its air and missile defense capabilities. Recent projects include the purchase of the multilayered “Achilles Shield” system, which is set to include Israeli systems from Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries, as well as additional drones and reconnaissance technology. The agreement with Italy provides for the possibility of acquiring further FREMM frigates in the future, the Greek press reported.
Türkiye, meanwhile, is currently building more than 50 warships simultaneously for both domestic and foreign customers, according to a statement last month by its Naval Forces commander.
The country also plans to inaugurate its locally made aircraft carrier by the end of 2027. The carrier will have a capacity to host 52 aerial vehicles and 2,500 personnel.
Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye has pursued a rapprochement with Greece after decades of lukewarm diplomatic ties and nearly two decades after the countries came close to an all-out war over their Aegean dispute. Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis have met several times over the past two years, but their warm meetings have done little to change the state of relations over the maritime dispute.
Last week, Erdoğan warned Greece not to arm the Aegean islands in violation of past treaties.
“Greece should know that Türkiye has no intention of grabbing the territory of any other country, but Türkiye also has no intention of allowing anyone to violate its rights. Ignoring international treaties will not benefit anyone. Anyone who interprets Türkiye’s level-headed approach based on common sense as weakness is making a grave mistake. Greece should reverse course and stop arming demilitarized islands. History is a good guide for those who can learn from the past,” Erdoğan told journalists as he was returning from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan.
Under the Achilles Shield deal signed earlier this month, Israel will supply Greece with the David’s Sling and SPYDER systems, as well as the BARAK MX system made by Israel Aerospace Industries, along with MMR multi-mission radars for air surveillance manufactured by IAI unit ELTA Systems.
David’s Sling was used by Israel to intercept Iranian missiles during the war with Iran this year. Greece is the second customer for the system, after Finland. Athens plans to spend about 28 billion euros by 2036 to build the Achilles Shield multilayered anti-ballistic, anti-aircraft and anti-drone system and to buy up to 40 F-35 fighter jets from the U.S.
Türkiye’s third-largest city, Izmir, observed the 104th anniversary of its liberation from occupying Greek forces on Wednesday. Events and parades were held in the Aegean city to celebrate the liberation, while at a more solemn ceremony, locals remembered Hasan Tahsin, a journalist who fired the first shot of resistance against the occupiers.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also issued a message on the occasion, remembering Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and “all the other heroes who crowned our National Struggle with victory.”
Izmir’s liberation, during the period following World War I that led to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, was the last chapter in Türkiye’s National Struggle, which included the War of Independence against an assortment of foreign powers occupying Anatolia. It marked the conclusion of the Great Offensive launched by Atatürk in central Anatolia.
Izmir was invaded by Greek forces on May 15, 1919, four days before Atatürk launched a campaign in which he secretly mobilized the Turkish nation to fight against the occupiers. Encouraged by victory in the Battle of Dumlupınar, where Greek forces fled in retreat from the newly pieced together Turkish army, Atatürk ordered his troops to “advance to the Mediterranean,” a historic order that paved the way for the pursuit of Greek troops through central and western Türkiye.
The army eventually managed to push Greek forces toward the Aegean, giving rise to the expression “pushing the Greeks into the sea.” However, this was not a literal expression, as Greek troops took shelter aboard Allied vessels waiting off the shores of Izmir. In the Greek narrative, the events are known as the Asia Minor Catastrophe.
Türkiye hopes an upcoming disarmament process will contribute to stability in Iraq and pave the way for broader regional peace as the PKK and its affiliates lay down their arms, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Tuesday.
Kurtulmuş made the remarks at a joint news conference with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Heybet Halbusi following bilateral and delegation-level talks at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara.
Kurtulmuş said he hoped the disarmament process, expected to begin next month, would help turn Iraq into a region of peace and stability and that the laying down of arms by the PKK and its affiliates would contribute to peace across Syria.
He linked the process to Türkiye’s broader “terror-free Türkiye” and “terror-free region” initiatives, saying countries in the region should strengthen cooperation and overcome divisions that have persisted for more than a century.
“Now, with the terror-free Türkiye process and the terror-free region process, we are bringing our scattered pieces together,” Kurtulmuş noted. “We are uniting.”
He also pointed to what he described as growing momentum in Türkiye-Iraq relations, citing 27 agreements and memorandums signed during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Iraq in 2024 and additional strategic decisions and agreements reached during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zeydi’s visit to Türkiye in July.
Kurtulmuş underlined that the Development Road Project was another key pillar of bilateral and regional cooperation.
The planned transport corridor is intended to strengthen connectivity between Asia and Europe through Iraq and Türkiye while contributing to economic development in both countries and the wider region.
Kurtulmuş said Ankara reiterated its full support for steps needed to advance the project and discussed ways to accelerate its implementation.
He said Türkiye hoped the Development Road would become operational with all its components as soon as possible.
The project, he added, would go beyond economic benefits by connecting communities, cities and cultures under a “win-win” approach.
Türkiye on Tuesday threw its support behind a 12-nation initiative led by the United Kingdom, France and Canada to ban trade and business dealings with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, calling for broader international action against Israel’s unlawful settlement expansion.
The Foreign Ministry said Ankara welcomed and supported measures taken by the 12 countries targeting commercial ties with illegal settlements.
“Israel’s efforts to eliminate the two-state solution are intensifying by the day,” the ministry said, warning that illegal settlements have evolved into a “systematic policy of occupation” that threatens the existence of a Palestinian state.
The ministry also said violence by illegal Israeli settlers had reached the level of “ethnic cleansing.”
Ankara argued that an adequate international response to Israel’s occupation policies has become essential to achieving a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.
Against this backdrop, Türkiye called on other responsible members of the international community to adopt similar measures against illegal settlements.
Türkiye reiterated that it would continue working toward the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with territorial integrity, based on the 1967 borders and with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.
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