Politics
Türkiye may consider role in demining Hormuz after Iran-US deal
Türkiye could consider taking part in multinational demining operations in the Strait of Hormuz after a possible peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said late Friday.
Speaking to reporters in London, Fidan said Türkiye “would be open to” participating in a coalition tasked with clearing naval mines in the Strait once a deal is reached, describing such work as a “humanitarian” effort.
However, Fidan underscored that Ankara would not take part in operations that risk positioning Türkiye as a party to renewed conflict. Ankara would avoid any role implying alignment if conflict resumes, Fidan said.
Fidan said Türkiye could foresee a comprehensive deal resulting in a negotiated return to the status quo ensuring open, toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Otherwise, both sides would have to explore new ways to find a resolution, according to the minister.
After the U.S. and Israel began attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, Iran responded by effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to attack any vessels that did not obtain its permission to transit the waterway.
The blockade caused major disruptions to global trade, sending energy prices soaring and sparking fears of fuel shortages.
The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has been a major sticking point in negotiations to end the war after a ceasefire began on April 8.
Days later, the U.S. implemented a blockade affecting ships coming from or heading to Iranian ports, as Washington tries to cut Tehran off from key revenue streams.
Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire on Tuesday, but the blockade remains in place.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday commemorated the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, honoring the thousands of Bosniak victims killed during the 1995 massacre and reiterating Türkiye’s commitment to preserving their memory.
In a message shared on social media, Erdoğan described Srebrenica as “one of the most brutal genocides in history” and paid tribute to those who lost their lives in what remains Europe’s worst mass atrocity since World War II.
“On the 31st anniversary of Srebrenica, one of the most brutal genocides in history, I commemorate with mercy and sorrow all of our Bosniak brothers who were massacred,” Erdoğan wrote.
“I respectfully honor the cherished memory of our martyrs and extend my patience and condolences to their families and loved ones. We will never forget Srebrenica.”
The annual commemoration falls on July 11, the day Bosnian Serb forces captured the U.N.-designated safe area of Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia in 1995, setting in motion the systematic killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys over the following days.
The massacre occurred during the Bosnian War, which lasted from 1992 to 1995 after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Srebrenica had been declared a protected U.N. enclave in 1993 and was guarded by Dutch peacekeepers. However, Bosnian Serb forces commanded by Gen. Ratko Mladić overran the town, separating men and boys from women, children and elderly civilians before carrying out mass executions.
An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 women, children and elderly residents were forcibly expelled from the enclave, while thousands of victims were buried in mass graves that were later disturbed in an attempt to conceal evidence of the killings.
The massacre has been legally recognized as genocide by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice, which ruled in 2007 that the killings constituted genocide.
More than three decades later, forensic experts continue identifying victims through DNA analysis. Nearly 7,000 victims have been identified and buried at the Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial and Cemetery, while hundreds of people remain missing.
This year’s anniversary included the burial of 10 newly identified victims, ranging in age from 20 to 56, at the memorial cemetery in Potočari. Memorial ceremonies across Bosnia and Herzegovina honored those killed, while survivors, relatives and international delegations gathered to remember the victims and call for continued efforts to combat genocide denial and preserve historical truth.
The 2026 commemorations were held under the theme “We Are Here,” highlighting the resilience of survivors and the enduring legacy of Bosniak communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the diaspora.
Türkiye has consistently supported international recognition of the Srebrenica genocide and has long maintained close ties with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Erdoğan has repeatedly used the anniversary to stress the importance of justice, remembrance and preventing similar atrocities from occurring again.
The Srebrenica genocide remains a defining symbol of the international community’s failure to protect civilians despite the presence of a U.N. safe zone.
Successive U.N. reports have acknowledged serious shortcomings in the global response, making the massacre a lasting reminder of the consequences of inaction.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed condolences on Sunday over the death of Qatar’s former ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, praising his longtime ally for strengthening bilateral ties and contributing to regional stability.
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir of the State of Qatar,” Erdoğan said in a statement on X.
The Turkish president said the former emir played a key role in elevating political, trade, military, humanitarian and cultural relations between Türkiye and Qatar to their current level during the years the two leaders worked together.
“During my tenure as prime minister, we worked closely together on the international stage. He made invaluable contributions to bringing political, trade, military, humanitarian and cultural ties between Türkiye and the State of Qatar to their current level.”
“I personally witnessed his sincere efforts for the peace of the Islamic world, the stability of our region and the prosperity of the Qatari people. May Almighty Allah have mercy on Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.” Erdoğan said.
He extended condolences, on behalf of himself, his family and the Turkish nation, to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the late leader’s family, the people of Qatar and the broader Islamic world.
Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 until his abdication in 2013, when he handed power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Türkiye late Thursday rejected a European Parliament resolution on Cyprus, calling it “null and void” and accusing the EU of taking a biased approach to the decades-long dispute.
In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the resolution contained “baseless and preposterous allegations against the heroic Turkish Armed Forces.”
“The resolution adopted by the European Parliament, which contains baseless and preposterous allegations against the heroic Turkish Armed Forces, is null and void,” the ministry said.
The ministry also expressed full support for a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in response to the resolution.
Describing the text as “replete with despicable slanders,” the ministry said it represented “the latest example of the biased and distorted approach adopted by the EU and the European Parliament in particular, under the influence of certain circles, with respect to the Cyprus issue.”
The ministry also voiced concern over the EU’s increasingly one-sided stance on Cyprus.
“It is concerning that EU institutions are increasingly approaching the Cyprus issue in a manner that departs from historical realities and impartiality,” the statement said.
The island has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.
As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983. The country is fully recognized only by Türkiye, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in the south.
The island has seen an on-and-off peace process, but negotiations have been stalled since 2017.
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is expected to discuss further organizational changes at a key executive board meeting on Friday, amid continuing tensions following a court ruling that reinstated former Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
According to Turkish media reports citing party sources, nearly 10 provincial party chairs could be dismissed during the meeting as the leadership moves to consolidate control over the organization.
The reports also claimed that CHP parliamentary group chair Özgür Özel could be removed from his post.
The leadership has repeatedly stressed that it will not tolerate what it describes as a dual power structure or disciplinary violations within the party following the court’s “absolute nullity” ruling, which returned Kılıçdaroğlu to the party leadership.
Since the ruling, the CHP has dismissed 36 provincial chairs, while 11 others have reportedly been referred to the party’s disciplinary board over statements and actions directed at the new leadership.
Media reports said provincial organizations in Trabzon, Afyonkarahisar and Rize are among those expected to face leadership changes at the latest meeting.
The reports also said appointments could soon be made to fill a number of provincial chairmanships that have remained vacant following previous dismissals.
Party officials are also expected to begin restructuring district organizations after changes at the provincial level are completed. According to the reports, newly appointed provincial chairs will oversee appointments at the district level, while local officials accused of undermining the party leadership could face disciplinary proceedings.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Friday strongly condemned a resolution adopted by the European Parliament criticizing Türkiye’s 1974 Peace Operation in Cyprus, accusing the assembly of distorting historical facts and acting in line with Greek Cypriot narratives.
In a written statement, the TRNC Foreign Ministry rejected the resolution, saying it misrepresented Türkiye’s 1974 military operation while unfairly targeting both Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people.
The ministry argued that Türkiye launched the operation on July 20, 1974, under its rights and obligations as a guarantor power stemming from the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, following a coup carried out on July 15, 1974, by supporters of union with Greece. It said the operation not only ensured the safety of Turkish Cypriots but also prevented mass killings on the island.
The statement criticized the European Parliament for ignoring atrocities committed against Turkish Cypriots while making “baseless accusations” against the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).
According to the ministry, the resolution would serve only to reinforce what it called Greek Cypriot propaganda aimed at misleading the international community.
The ministry also noted that female lawmakers from the TRNC Parliament had sent letters to the relevant European Parliament committee before the vote, disputing claims contained in the draft resolution and seeking to present what they described as the realities on the island. Despite those efforts, the resolution was adopted, which the ministry said demonstrated that European Union institutions had lost their impartiality on the Cyprus issue and were acting as advocates for the Greek Cypriot side.
The ministry said decisions that disregard the will of the Turkish Cypriot people, ignore their inherent rights and deliberately distort realities on the island are “null and void” from the TRNC’s perspective and carry no legitimacy.
It also called on the European Parliament to abandon one-sided approaches, refrain from using the Cyprus issue as a political tool, and respect both the current realities and historical facts on the island.
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) remained the country’s most popular political party in a June opinion poll conducted by research company GENAR, maintaining a nearly 8 percentage-point lead over the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
According to a report by Sabah newspaper, the survey, conducted with 2,200 respondents across all 81 provinces, asked voters which party they would support if a parliamentary election were held this Sunday.
According to the poll, the AK Party received 36.2% support, while the CHP stood at 28.3%.
The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) ranked third with 9.2%, followed by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) at 8.1%, and the Good Party (IP) at 7.1%.
The New Welfare Party (YRP) received 3.8%, while the Key Party (AP) and Victory Party (ZP) recorded 2.5% and 2.1%, respectively. The Workers’ Party of Türkiye (TIP) received 1.3%, with other parties collectively accounting for 1.4%.
GENAR said the results suggest that the current balance among Türkiye’s major political parties has remained largely unchanged despite recent political developments.
“The June survey shows the AK Party leading with 36.2%, while the CHP remains at 28.3%,” the polling company said in its assessment.
According to GENAR, the findings indicate that the country’s political landscape has not experienced a major realignment and that the hierarchy among the leading parties remains broadly intact.
The company also said the main opposition CHP’s recent internal political turmoil has not yet been fully reflected in voter preferences.
Türkiye’s main opposition has been plunged into a deepening leadership crisis after a court annulled the party’s 2023 congress, setting off a power struggle between reinstated former Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and ex-Chair Özgür Özel amid clashes at party headquarters and growing uncertainty over who will ultimately lead the opposition.
Attention is now shifting to how and how quickly the CHP can resolve the dispute, with rival camps sharply divided over the timing and format of an eventual congress that could decide the leadership question.
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