Politics
Türkiye on alert on Iran border against spillover of conflict
Sharing a border of 560 kilometers (348 miles) with Iran, Türkiye is naturally vigilant over the impact of the ongoing war between the U.S.-Israel alliance and Iran. Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi chaired a border security meeting on Sunday on the issue. Media outlets reported that Çiftçi and high-ranking officials discussed top-level protection of the borders, additional measures against the possible influx of irregular migrants, crisis scenarios, emergency action plans and better coordination between different government agencies, as well as increasing the capacity of border forces.
At the meeting with representatives of the agencies, from police and gendarmerie to governors of border provinces, Çiftçi said Türkiye made no concessions in ensuring border security, public order and migration management, and was following the developments, noting that all units were on alert.
The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have caused concerns that they may trigger a mass influx of Iranian nationals into Türkiye, but Ankara has already been cautious against mass migration as Iran is also a gateway for Afghan irregular migrants seeking to cross into Türkiye.
Türkiye and Iran have mutually suspended day-trip crossings at their border, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said Monday.
Türkiye’s eastern border was already reinforced against illegal crossings. In Van, the eastern province where Türkiye has the longest border with Iran, security measures are highest against irregular migration, smuggling and infiltration by terrorists. A concrete wall straddling a line of about 380 kilometers was constructed on the border. Türkiye also dug ditches stretching for 553 kilometers to deter migrants from crossing the border. Elsewhere, towers fitted with thermal cameras and other high-tech surveillance equipment oversee the line.
Troops known as “Border Eagles,” gendarmerie troops and volunteer security guards are active on the border, while police squads regularly patrol cities near the border against irregular migration.
Authorities tap everything for effective monitoring, from motion sensors to drones. At Kapıköy border crossing in Van’s Saray district, security officers monitor Iranian tourists and those leaving for Iran.
Türkiye expects to present a legal framework for its “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative before Parliament adjourns for its summer recess, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair and spokesman Ömer Çelik said Monday, as the government intensifies efforts to cement the country’s anti-terror strategy through legislation.
Speaking after the AK Party Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Çelik said officials were holding lengthy meetings almost every day to finalize the legal groundwork for the process.
“Our preparations for the Terror-Free Türkiye initiative are continuing,” Çelik said. “We hold meetings almost every day. Sometimes we meet twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. God willing, we will have established this legal framework before Parliament closes.”
Çelik said the initiative has entered a new phase focused on ensuring the disarmament of terrorist organizations while advancing Türkiye’s broader goal of creating a terror-free region.
He described the process as multidimensional, involving political, legal, intelligence and strategic considerations, and said it has been carried out as a state policy under President Erdoğan’s directives, with support from Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and parliamentary efforts led by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş.
“The goal is to free Türkiye from the burden of terrorism,” Çelik said, adding that the current stage requires “fine craftsmanship” to establish both a sound legal basis and a constructive political atmosphere.
Calling for responsible political discourse, Çelik urged all parties to avoid polarization and ideological rhetoric that could undermine the process.
“This is not the time for propaganda,” he said. “This is the time to speak with a language that can reach every citizen.”
Emphasizing national unity, Çelik said all citizens enjoy equal status under the Republic.
“In Türkiye, everyone is a first-class citizen,” he said. “Our names may be different, but our shared surname is the Republic of Türkiye.”
He also praised political parties that have taken what he described as a constructive approach in Parliament’s commission on the initiative, including opposition parties that have supported dialogue while avoiding inflammatory rhetoric.
Çelik stressed that despite numerous provocations and attempts to sabotage the process, the government has remained committed to keeping it on course.
“No matter what happened, we said we would keep this issue on the main road and prevent it from being diverted,” he said.
The AK Party spokesperson also announced preparations for the party’s 25th anniversary celebrations, saying a commemorative logo and new institutional branding will be unveiled ahead of the Aug. 14 anniversary.
U.S. President Donald Trump brushed aside reported Israeli opposition to a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye on Monday, praising Ankara as “a tremendous ally” and insisting that no country would dictate U.S. arms sales ahead of his scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Responding to a question about Israel’s reported objection to a possible F-35 deal with Türkiye, Trump rejected the notion that outside actors could influence U.S. defense sales.
“Türkiye has been a tremendous ally,” Trump said. “Nobody tells me what we should be selling or not selling.”
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Washington to Michigan, Trump also described President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a friend and reiterated that decisions on U.S. weapons sales would be made solely by Washington. He acknowledged the well-known differences between Türkiye and Israel but emphasized that Türkiye remains a strong country with a powerful military, describing its armed forces as among the strongest in the region and well equipped.
Trump also reiterated his praise of Erdoğan’s role in Syria, saying he believed the Turkish leader had handled the issue effectively. He described Erdoğan as a friend and reiterated that no one would dictate U.S. arms sales policy. While acknowledging longstanding tensions between Türkiye and Israel and noting Ankara’s strained relations with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Trump emphasized that Türkiye has been a valuable ally to the United States. He also highlighted the country’s military strength, describing Türkiye as a powerful nation with one of the region’s largest and best-equipped armed forces.
The issue resurfaced after Trump signaled at the recent NATO summit alongside President Erdoğan that Washington was prepared to lift sanctions on Türkiye and was open to selling F-35 fighter jets to Ankara.
The prospect prompted public criticism from Netanyahu, with Axios later reporting that Trump was angered by the remarks, quoting White House officials as saying the U.S. president believed Netanyahu “had no right” to weigh in on American arms sales decisions.
Türkiye was removed from the multinational F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring Russia’s S-400 air defense system, prompting U.S. sanctions despite Ankara’s role as a production partner in the fighter jet program.
President Erdoğan has previously described Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 program as unjust, arguing that restoring Ankara’s participation would strengthen NATO’s collective security.
Despite fielding NATO’s second-largest military, Türkiye has faced repeated arms restrictions from some allies over the years. In response, Ankara has significantly expanded its domestic defense industry over the past two decades to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
Today, Türkiye manufactures a broad range of defense systems domestically, including armed drones, missiles, armored vehicles and naval platforms, while also developing its indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN.
Türkiye’s second Communication Council will convene in Ankara on July 28-29 under the theme “Century of Türkiye: The Century of Communication,” bringing together government officials, academics, media representatives and civil society to discuss the country’s communication policies and future strategy.
The two-day event, organized by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, will open at the ATO Congresium with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in attendance. Presidency’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran is also scheduled to deliver opening remarks.
The second day will feature panel discussions at the Directorate of Communications Conference Hall, where experts from various disciplines will examine developments in the field of communication and exchange views on future policy priorities.
According to the Directorate, the council aims to establish a practical framework for Türkiye’s Communication Model in line with the country’s “Century of Türkiye” vision. Participants from public institutions, the private sector, academia, civil society and the media are expected to assess current communication policies, identify challenges and propose recommendations for future implementation.
The event will also see the release of the Second Communication Council Reports and Second Communication Council Proceedings, prepared following consultations conducted by 425 participants across 16 working groups during a preparatory workshop held last year.
Officials said the council is intended to contribute to the development of public communication policies while providing a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas on strengthening Türkiye’s communication strategy.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will visit Türkiye on Tuesday, the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate confirmed on Monday. It will be the first visit to Türkiye by the young premier since he took office in May. The Directorate said al-Zaidi was invited by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and talks between Turkish and Iraqi officials during his visit would focus on security, trade, energy, transportation, water management, as well as an exchange of views on regional and global developments.
The prime minister is expected to sign several memoranda of understanding on cooperation with Türkiye in various fields. During Erdoğan’s visit to Baghdad two years ago, the two countries signed a series of agreements, particularly related to the Development Road Project and political, security and economic cooperation. That visit also paved the way for a Strategic Framework Agreement between the two neighbors.
He reaffirmed the future agreements with Türkiye that would be signed during his visit when he received Turkish Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu last week. During the meeting, he emphasized the deep-rooted ties and shared interests between the two countries, as well as the importance of strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in investment.
Sudan’s Foreign Minister and Minister of International Cooperation, Mohieddin Salem, will pay an official visit to Türkiye on July 28-29, as Ankara seeks to deepen bilateral ties while reaffirming its support for Sudan’s sovereignty and efforts to end the country’s conflict.
According to Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to hold talks with Salem focusing on political, economic and humanitarian cooperation, as well as regional developments, particularly in the Horn of Africa.
The ministry said Fidan will reiterate Türkiye’s support for Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, while emphasizing Ankara’s commitment to diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the African country.
Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023 after a dispute between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the regular military collapsed into open conflict.
U.N. estimates indicate the war has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly 13 million at its peak, making it one of the world’s largest displacement crises.
The ministers are also expected to discuss expanding cooperation in trade, investment, energy, education and culture, alongside strengthening the legal framework governing bilateral relations.
Ankara is expected to reaffirm its commitment to humanitarian assistance for Sudan and highlight the potential role of Turkish companies in the country’s future reconstruction efforts.
During the visit, the two sides are scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Diplomacy Academy of the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the Diplomatic Institute of Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Sudan’s army has regained control of a key highway linking the capital Khartoum with the flashpoint city of El-Obeid, according to AFP sources announced on Monday.
The report was followed by the claims of the Sudanese army on Sunday that government troops and supporting units destroyed 62 RSF combat vehicles and seized 54 others during military operations in North Kordofan state.
In a statement carried by the state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA), the Joint Force of Armed Struggle Movements said the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Joint Force and allied units achieved a new battlefield victory across operational axes in North Kordofan.
The Joint Force said the operations inflicted heavy personnel and equipment losses on the RSF, including the seizure of 54 combat vehicles in good condition and the destruction of more than 62 others.
Türkiye-Sudan ties
Türkiye and Sudan established diplomatic relations in 1957. Bilateral ties gained new momentum following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Sudan in 2017, when the two countries established a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
Senior-level contacts have intensified over the past year. Sudan’s Sovereignty Council Chairperson Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited Türkiye in December 2025 and met Erdoğan again in Türkiye in early June. Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris also visited Türkiye in May, when the two countries held the 16th meeting of the Joint Economic Commission. Salem previously traveled to Türkiye in April to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
Despite Sudan’s ongoing conflict and broader regional challenges, bilateral trade reached approximately $390 million in 2025, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Türkiye has also continued humanitarian support, sending eight aid ships carrying around 12,000 tons of relief supplies and 30,000 tents since mid-2024.
In July 2025, Türkiye’s Health Ministry delivered 64 tons of medical supplies to support Sudan’s response to a cholera outbreak.
The Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate is spearheading efforts to combat terrorist propaganda and disinformation, two issues that have plagued the country’s online space. In coordination with the directorate, the cybercrime units of the Turkish police, prosecutors, and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) have blocked online propaganda and disinformation campaigns targeting Türkiye.
Over the past seven months, authorities have imposed access bans on 6,644 social media accounts. Of these, 3,679 were linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and its affiliates, while 2,965 accounts promoting terrorism, disseminating disinformation, or engaging in psychological warfare were also blocked, according to a statement by the Communications Directorate. FETÖ was behind the July 15, 2016, coup attempt and made extensive use of social media both before and after the attempted coup to spread propaganda and disinformation against the government.
According to the Directorate, the X social media platform topped the list of platforms with the highest number of access bans, followed by Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify.
In its statement, the Directorate said terrorist groups and organized disinformation networks sought to manipulate public opinion, influence public perception, and create “information pollution” during periods of crisis, particularly by exploiting platforms with high engagement potential.
“The coordination mechanism is not limited to intervening against illegal content. Trending Topic (TT) lists, hashtag campaigns, coordinated sharing networks, and bot account activity on social media platforms are also monitored in real time using advanced digital analysis methods. Artificial agenda-setting efforts conducted as part of psychological operations are detected quickly, while the origin and dissemination patterns of these campaigns are identified through digital network analysis. Thanks to the simultaneous technical and legal processes carried out by the relevant institutions, coordinated influence operations are prevented from reaching large audiences,” the statement said.
“Security sources state that digital platforms have become a battlefield directly affecting national security, rather than merely serving as a means of communication. They say that, through the coordinated efforts of relevant institutions, technical analysis, judicial proceedings, and access restriction measures are managed in a unified manner. As a result, not only individual accounts but also organized digital networks are identified and neutralized. The restriction of access to 6,644 accounts over the past seven months demonstrates that Türkiye has adopted a multilayered and coordinated approach to combating terrorist propaganda, disinformation, and psychological operations in cyberspace,” the statement added.
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