Politics
Türkiye warns US attack on Iran could trigger security risks
The unprecedented U.S. strikes on Iranian soil put Türkiye on edge as Ankara already seeks a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Israel and Iran.
“As Türkiye, we have always drawn attention to the risk of the conflict that started with Israeli aggression in the region spreading and the destabilization of the security environment. The attack by the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear facilities today (June 22) has maximized this risk,” a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.
The statement came shortly after Iran’s foreign minister delivered a stern warning to the United States in Istanbul where he attended a summit of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“Türkiye is deeply concerned about the possible consequences of the U.S. attack on the nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The ongoing developments could cause the regional conflict to escalate to a global level,” the Turkish ministry added. “We do not want this catastrophic scenario to come to life.”
It also called on all parties involved to “act responsibly, mutually cease attacks immediately and avoid steps that could lead to further loss of life and destruction.”
“The only way to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program is through negotiations. We call on the international community to support efforts to find a diplomatic solution between the parties,” it said. Türkiye also voiced its readiness to fulfill its responsibilities and “make constructive contributions.”
Although it is not party to the dispute between Iran and world powers over Tehran’s nuclear program, nor to the Iran-Israel conflict that continues after U.S. strikes, Türkiye has a lot at stake as a regional power and a neighbor of Iran. Unlike its allies in the West, it has defended Iran’s right to self-defense and slammed Israel’s policy of expansionism that now has its sights on Iran. Turkish leaders have repeatedly warned that Israel’s next target may be Türkiye if its regional aggression is not stopped. Indeed, Israel views Türkiye as an opponent and occasionally issues veiled threats to Turkish leadership for its unwavering support to Palestinians suffering under the Israeli attacks since 2023. Türkiye also maintains close ties with its NATO ally the United States.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik said in a social media post on Sunday that worst-case scenarios can be triggered if conflicts spread across the region. “The danger of expansion of conflicts in our region emerged after U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities,” he warned.
Çelik said Israel’s aggression, attempting to set the entire region on fire, posed a threat to everyone. Çelik reiterated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has conducted comprehensive diplomacy after Israel’s attacks on Iran earlier this month and held talks with regional and world leaders. “In this context, it was emphasized that the negotiation table is the only solution. Our president expressed readiness for peace diplomacy and hosting talks to that extent. His assessment since the very beginning of the conflict proved true. From now on, negotiations should be central (to the solution of the issue),” he said.
Erdoğan on Saturday urged greater unity among Islamic countries to resist Israeli actions and growing regional instability as he warned of attempts to impose a “new Sykes-Picot order” in the Middle East. “We will not allow the establishment of a new Sykes-Picot order in our region with borders to be drawn in blood,” Erdoğan said at the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC in Istanbul.
The president expressed confidence in the resilience of the Iranian people amid the current conflict with Israel. “We have no doubt that the Iranian people, with their solidarity in the face of difficulties and strong state experience, will hopefully overcome these days,” he said. He also expressed his condolences on behalf of Türkiye to those killed in Israeli bombings and assassinations targeting Iranian citizens.
He strongly condemned Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, emphasizing that Iran’s right to self-defense in the face of state terrorism is natural, legitimate, and legal. Erdoğan described Israel’s strikes on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran as acts of “banditry,” warning that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government poses the greatest obstacle to peace in the region. He also urged Islamic countries to stand firm against Israel’s actions beyond Gaza. “We must show greater solidarity to stop Israel’s acts of banditry not only in Palestine but also in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran,” Erdoğan added.
He underscored that the current period of shifting balances and fragile politics requires the Islamic world to unite. He said the OIC must clearly express its stance against Israeli policies that have plunged the region into chaos and urged member states to reinforce tolerance and solidarity. Erdoğan stressed, regardless of sect or ethnicity, all Muslims share the same qibla and destiny and must set aside differences to confront common challenges.
Erdoğan emphasized that the OIC, as the second-largest international organization after the U.N., must become more effective, serve as a tool for development, and be better organized to address current and future challenges.
He reiterated that Türkiye’s OIC chairmanship begins during a time when Israeli aggression again threatens stability and peace in the region. He stressed that a multipolar world requires the Islamic world to become a pole of its own, taking on greater responsibility and playing a more prominent role in global affairs. Erdoğan concluded by saying that Muslims must resolve internal disagreements with their own wisdom and will, asserting that the Islamic world has the capacity and determination to find solutions to every issue that affects its future.
In the meantime, Türkiye remains on alert against the potential spillover of the conflict. Officials say the army is vigilant and border security measures are in place in light of the latest developments. Erdoğan also recently underlined that Türkiye’s defense capabilities were significantly strengthened thanks to the groundbreaking efforts of the local defense industry, which recorded a dramatic improvement in the past two decades, from the development of long-range missiles to unmanned aerial vehicles.
Grand Youth Award of Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), an affiliate of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) based in Istanbul, was presented to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Friday.
Erdoğan received the award at a ceremony held at Haliç University Congress Hall in Istanbul.
The award recognizes Erdoğan’s international efforts that set an example for Muslim youth around the world.
Along with Erdoğan and ICYF Chair Taha Ayhan, dignitaries from Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Minister of Sports and Youth Osman Aşkın Bak, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Jean Marie Karamoko Traore, Bosnia-Herzegovina Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Chad’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Fadoul, Cameroon’s Foreign Minister Mbella Mbella, UAE’s Assistant Minister for International Cooperation and Development Sultan al-Shamsi and Palestine’s Supreme Council for Youth and Sports President Jibril Rajoub.
Addressing the award ceremony, Erdoğan said he was honored to meet with participants and conveyed his greetings to young Muslims around the world, particularly those in Gaza.
“I send my heartfelt salutations and love to the brave youth of Palestine and Gaza who have been defending their homeland heroically for 622 days against the savage, ruthless and inhumane attacks of the Israeli government,” Erdoğan said. “I also salute the courageous women resisting barbarism, the orphans and fatherless children who, despite bearing heavy burdens, refuse to kneel before oppressors, and all our Palestinian brothers and sisters who uphold the dignity and honor of being Muslim under the harshest conditions. May Allah be with them all.”
Highlighting the importance of the ICYF’s work, Erdoğan praised the forum’s efforts in education, civil society, entrepreneurship, law, diplomacy, media, human rights and volunteerism. “These initiatives, from the Diplomacy Academy to the International Incubation Center, are of critical importance for our future,” he said.
He also pointed to initiatives such as the Gaza Tribunal formed by prominent global opinion leaders as vital in exposing “Israel’s bloody and treacherous face to the world.”
Erdoğan noted that the ICYF, which has diplomatic status, plays a significant role in representing Muslim youth globally through partnerships with international organizations. “Since 2019, the forum has held 262 programs reaching more than 15 million young people and has clubs at 817 universities in over 70 countries. Twenty-five thousand students in these clubs are continuing their academic pursuits with educational materials prepared by various universities in Turkey and abroad,” he said.
Addressing the broader challenges facing the Muslim world, Erdoğan said, “We are going through a difficult time. War, conflict and instability have unfortunately darkened the skies over our civilization’s geography.”
“In Gaza, people standing in line for a piece of bread or a bowl of soup are being brutally targeted. Israel, which now complains of damage to its hospitals, has carried out more than 700 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza,” he said. “For 21 months, one of the most shameful acts of modern barbarism has been taking place in Gaza. Those who have turned Gaza into the world’s largest concentration camp have no right to speak of war crimes, doing so is not just hypocrisy, but sheer shamelessness and arrogance,” Erdoğan said.
He directly blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for the situation. “The primary culprit behind the genocide in Gaza is the Netanyahu government. However, those who remain silent in the face of this killing machine are complicit in these crimes,” he said. “Netanyahu and his government, with their lawless and arrogant atrocities, have etched their names alongside tyrants like Hitler and Pol Pot. Powers with influence over Israel must not fall into Netanyahu’s trap and should instead use their leverage to help establish a ceasefire and calm in the region,” he added.
Despite pressure from pro-Israeli lobbies, Erdoğan said Türkiye would not back down from its position. “We have never wavered in our stance or hesitated to side with the oppressed. Today, we continue to stand firmly in the same place. We say peace, diplomacy, and justice. We say, ‘Long live free Palestine.’”
“As Türkiye, we once again declare our support for the people of Palestine. All 86 million of us stand with our Palestinian brothers and sisters and will continue to do so,” Erdoğan said.
He concluded by urging restraint to prevent further escalation: “It is essential to pull the fingers off the triggers before more destruction, bloodshed, and civilian casualties occur. Both the genocide in Gaza and the ongoing conflict (between Iran and Israel) is rapidly heading toward a point of no return. This lawlessness and madness must end immediately,” he said.
For his part, ICYF chair Taha Ayhan said at the ceremony that Erdoğan’s vision instilled hope to Turkish nation, Muslim community around the world and the world in general. “You are mentioned with blessings everywhere. Your unifying leadership agreed upon by Turkish nation, Muslim ummah and the world sets an example for the youth. I am assured that the Muslim world, the world will overcome the crisis it currently faces thanks to your leadership,” Ayhan said. “Inspired by you, the youth will resolutely work for a better future for the ummah and humanity. Your strong stand and strong will instills confidence in the youth. As the youth of the ummah, we pledge to stand with you in your struggle, to work in full force for the ummah and stand strong against oppression. With these efforts, liberation of Palestine is near. End of tears for Muslim communities is near, prevalence of justice is near. We believe the justice will be restored by youth,” he said.
The presidents of Türkiye and Azerbaijan on Thursday praised the unity and solidarity between the two countries in the face of challenges, especially following the 2023 twin earthquakes that shook Türkiye.
Türkiye will never forget the solidarity of the Azerbaijani people, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, speaking at the key delivery ceremony of quake-recovery houses in Kahramanmaraş province alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Stressing that Baku has come with everything it had to heal wounds after the quakes, he also expressed appreciation for Azerbaijan’s role in helping build the post-quake houses.
“Regardless of the conditions in the world and in our region, our priority is clear,” the Turkish president said, adding that they are concerned with healing the wounds inflicted by the disaster “as soon as possible.”
Aliyev, for his part, similarly praised unity and brotherhood with Türkiye: “I express the respect and love of the Azerbaijani people to those living in the earthquake-affected areas. You know and should know that you have 10 million brothers and sisters in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijanis also know we have over 80 million brothers and sisters in Türkiye. Long live Türkiye! Long live Türkiye-Azerbaijan unity and brotherhood!”
Expressing that the Azerbaijani people treated the earthquakes that hit southern Türkiye in February 2023 as their own, Aliyev said “tens of thousands” of Azerbaijanis began to fulfill their “fraternal duty” by providing humanitarian aid.
Aliyev highlighted that the same number of people were provided with new apartments quickly following the quakes, a testament to Erdoğan’s “commitment, love and strong determination toward his people.”
“At the same time, this is also evidence of a strong Türkiye, because only a strong state can carry out such a large-scale reconstruction and construction work in a short time,” Aliyev said, adding that more than 1,000 Azerbaijani personnel were immediately sent to the region at the time.
He said as many as 53 people were rescued from the rubble by Azerbaijani personnel, while another 3,200 people were provided with medical assistance by Azerbaijani doctors in two field hospitals.
“Azerbaijan has always been by Türkiye’s side, and Türkiye has always been by Azerbaijan’s side. Today, my participation along with my dear brother in the opening of the ‘Azerbaijan’ quarter is further evidence of our unity and friendship,” he said, describing the establishment of the neighborhood as a “remarkable event.”
He said the brotherhood and unity between the two countries are important factors not only for the region but also on a global scale, reminding that the Shusha Declaration officially elevated Turkish-Azerbaijani relations to the level of an alliance.
He recalled Türkiye’s support for Azerbaijan on the issue of Karabakh from the first days of the 44-day conflict with Armenia in fall 2020, expressing Turkish solidarity “gave us additional strength.”
“The people of Kahramanmaraş showed great resolve in the face of a terrible earthquake. They did not break or bend. They knew and believed that behind them stood a strong leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Behind them stands a strong Türkiye,” he added.
On Feb. 6, 2023, magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes struck 11 Turkish provinces – Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa.
More than 13.5 million people in Türkiye have been affected by the quakes and many others in northern Syria.
The post-quake houses for which the delivery ceremony was held were built by the Azerbaijani government and the Housing Development Administration of the Republic of Türkiye (TOKI), in the “New Azerbaijan Neighborhood” of Kahramanmaraş.
Arab League foreign ministers convened an extraordinary meeting in Istanbul to discuss the Iran-Israel conflict, diplomatic sources said Friday.
As the confrontation between Iran and Israel intensifies, Türkiye is emerging as a crucial actor seeking to mediate the conflict and prevent it from spiraling into a wider regional war.
The ministers were in Türkiye’s largest city on the eve of a weekend gathering of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was also slated to discuss the air war launched a week ago.
Israel began its assault in the early hours of June 13, claiming that Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, triggering an immediate retaliation from Tehran in the worst-ever confrontation between the two arch-rivals.
Some 40 top diplomats are slated to join the weekend gathering of the OIC, which will also have a session dedicated to discussing the Iran-Israel crisis, the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who met with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany in Geneva on Friday, will also attend and address the diplomats, the ministry said.
Earlier on Friday, Araghchi said Tehran was ready to “consider diplomacy” again only if Israel’s “aggression is stopped.”
The Arab League ministers were expected to release a statement following their meeting, Anadolu Agency (AA) said.
With its strategic ties to both Tehran and Washington, and its principled foreign policy rooted in regional stability, Ankara is positioning itself as one of the few powers capable of engaging both sides constructively.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized the significance of the recent understanding reached in peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, stressing Türkiye’s continued support for efforts aimed at fostering development and stability across the South Caucasus through a “win-win” approach as he held a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Istanbul on Friday.
During high-level talks in Istanbul, the sides discussed key regional developments, including the normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia, broader peace and dialogue efforts in the South Caucasus, and current issues affecting the region.
President Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s readiness to support any constructive initiatives to advance peace and cooperation. He also said Türkiye is committed to using every diplomatic tool to help establish lasting stability not only in the Caucasus, but across the wider region.
The meeting also addressed possible next steps in the normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia.
Referring to the escalating tensions in the Middle East, Erdoğan noted that Türkiye remains in close contact with regional leaders to reduce the risks created by Israel’s attacks on Iran and prevent further escalation.
Armenia PM hails ‘in-depth’ talks with Erdoğan
Pashinyan said he held “in-depth” talks with Erdoğan in Istanbul.
A statement from the Armenian government said: “The two leaders discussed the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, underlining the importance of continuing constructive dialogue and achieving concrete results.”
In a post on X, Pashinyan said he had an “in-depth exchange” with Erdoğan at which they “discussed the Armenia-Türkiye normalization process, regional developments, and the importance of sustained dialogue.”
He reassured the Turkish leader that Armenia was “committed to building peace and stability in our region.”
The discussions began shortly before 7:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace, the Presidency said.
Armenia and Türkiye have never established formal diplomatic ties and their shared border has been closed since the 1990s.
Analysts said Pashinyan would make the case for speeding up steps toward normalization with Türkiye in a bid to ease Armenia’s isolation.
Ahead of the talks, Pashinyan visited the Armenian Patriarchal Church and the Blue Mosque and met members of the Turkish Armenian community, he said on his official Facebook page.
Normalization
“This is a historic visit, as it will be the first time a head of the Republic of Armenia visits Türkiye at this level. All regional issues will be discussed,” Armenian parliament speaker Alen Simonyan told reporters on Thursday.
“The risks of war (with Azerbaijan) are currently minimal, and we must work to neutralize them. Pashinyan’s visit to Türkiye is a step in that direction.”
An Armenian foreign ministry official told AFP Pashinyan and Erdoğan would discuss efforts to sign a comprehensive peace treaty as well as the fallout from the Iran-Israel conflict.
A day ahead of his visit, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was in Türkiye to meet Erdoğan, hailing the two nations’ alliance as “a significant factor, not only regionally but also globally.”
Erdoğan repeated his backing for “the establishment of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”
The two nations had agreed on the text of a peace deal in March, but Azerbaijan has since outlined a host of demands, including changes to Armenia’s constitution, before it will sign the document.
Pashinyan has actively sought to normalize relations with both Baku and Ankara.
“Pashinyan is very keen to break Armenia out of its isolation and the best way to do that is a peace agreement with Azerbaijan and a normalization agreement with Turkey,” Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe told AFP.
The main thing blocking normalization with Türkiye was Azerbaijan, a close ally of Ankara, he said.
“Turkey has a strategic dilemma here: on the one hand it wants to stay loyal to Azerbaijan; on the other, opening the Armenian border makes it a bigger player in the South Caucasus,” he said.
Earlier this year, Pashinyan said Armenia would halt its campaign for international recognition of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as genocide.
He has visited Türkiye only once before, for Erdoğan’s 2023 inauguration. At the time, he was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate him on his re-election.
Ankara and Yerevan appointed special envoys in late 2021 to lead a normalization process, a year after Armenia’s defeat in a war with Azerbaijan over the then-disputed Karabakh region.
In 2022, Türkiye and Armenia resumed commercial flights after a two-year pause.
A previous attempt to normalize relations, a 2009 accord to open the border, was never ratified by Armenia and abandoned in 2018.
Türkiye’s ambassador to the United Nations on Friday condemned Israel’s military strikes on Iran, warning they posed a serious threat to global security and the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.
Speaking at an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council, Ambassador Ahmet Yıldız said, “Türkiye condemns, in the strongest terms, the recent attacks conducted by Israel against Iran. These acts represent a manifest violation of the U.N. Charter.”
Yıldız called the situation “deeply troubling,” particularly in light of Israel’s nuclear opacity. “It is alarming that a non-NPT state, which maintains deliberate ambiguity regarding its nuclear arsenal, is attacking safeguarded nuclear infrastructure in a state party to the NPT,” he said. “This recklessness strikes at the heart of the global non-proliferation regime.”
He urged the international community to unite in calling on Israel to join the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon state and to accept full verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Yıldız also criticized Israel’s targeted strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling them “unprecedented” and in direct violation of international law and IAEA agreements. He noted that the agency’s verification efforts inside Iran have already been “impeded.”
“A wider regional collision would aggravate the risk of nuclear or radiological spillover and mass displacement,” he warned. “It would disrupt global trade, endanger energy security, and imperil transportation routes amid an already volatile climate.”
Reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to diplomacy, Yıldız said, “We continue to believe that diplomacy is the sole sensible path forward.”
He also emphasized that the crisis in Gaza must not be sidelined. “Israel’s assault on Iran cannot obscure the ongoing crimes being committed against the Palestinian people,” he said. “Imposing peace is no longer a mere option; it is an imperative to preserve the credibility of the UN system and to safeguard international law.”
Eighty-one provincial heads of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Thursday gathered to voice support for the party’s chairperson, Özgür Özel, and defend the 2023 congress results.
Gathering in front of the party headquarters in the capital Ankara, the provincial heads made a statement, read out by CHP Ankara Chair Ümit Erkol.
Erkol said that Özel was elected as the party leader by the free will of the delegates at the 38th Ordinary Congress of the CHP, then they focused on the local elections in unity and “became the local power,” referring to last year’s local elections where the CHP made significant gains.
He accused the government of politicizing the case and also voiced support for Istanbul’s ousted mayor, Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu.
Turkish prosecutors are seeking up to three-year prison sentences for a total of 12 suspects, including Imamoğlu, in an ongoing trial against the CHP over alleged vote buying in the 2023 ordinary congress.
The lawsuit seeks to cancel the party’s 38th Ordinary Congress held on Nov. 4-5, 2023, in which Chairperson Özgür Özel allegedly “bought” supporters to oust Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, his predecessor, in an intraparty election held at the congress.
It also asks to suspend all CHP officials linked to the congress. If the court rules to annul the congress that elected Özel as CHP chair, a trustee would be assigned to administer Türkiye’s oldest political party, who would then call for an extraordinary congress within 45 days.
Several eyewitnesses testified in court about the allegations that delegates were made to vote in exchange for money at the said congress.
Mayor Duman also specialized to the Brigade: He went down to the street and collected garbage, threatened the workers
Eurozone business activity flatlines again in June, PMI shows
President Erdoğan receives Grand Youth Award from top OIC body
Mayor Duman also specialized to the Brigade: He went down to the street and collected garbage, threatened the workers
Eurozone business activity flatlines again in June, PMI shows
President Erdoğan receives Grand Youth Award from top OIC body
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