Turkey - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

June 23, 2026

Ankara 4:00 pm

26°C

Germany's forward #26 Deniz Undav (2nd R), an ethnic Kurd, scores his team's first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group E football match between Germany and Ivory Coast at the Toronto Stadium in Toronto on June 20, 2026.

Culture

Amid political setbacks, Kurds shine at the World Cup

Kurdish players and clubs are making rare global gains on football’s biggest stage, offering a brief lift amid ongoing political setbacks across the region.

This photograph shows a Turkish national flag at the Razi-Kapikoy border crossing with Iran next to a black flag on the Iranian side, following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in eastern Turkey on March 2, 2026.

Analysis

Turkey eyes gains from US-Iran deal as Ankara balances Tehran, Washington

Turkey sees the US-Iran memorandum as a chance to reduce regional spillover risks, revive trade with Tehran and gain diplomatic breathing room.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

A Turkish police officers patrols at the scene of a motor-bike bomb explosion, next to a police station on Oct. 6, 2016, in Istanbul.

Turkey captures alleged ISIS-K media chief near Afghanistan-Pakistan border

The capture comes as Turkish authorities intensify raids against Islamic State networks following recent attacks and alleged plots.

Latest News

Culture

Turkey’s Erdogan meets Orthodox patriarch amid push for reopening Halki Seminary

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Orthodox Patriarch of Bartholomew at the presidential complex, Ankara, Turkey, June 16, 2026.

Turkey’s Fidan heads to Moscow as S-400 sanctions issue returns to fore

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, on May 22, 2026.

Analysis

Erdogan-Netanyahu war of words signals deeper rivalry for regional influence

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Turkish House in New York on Sept. 19, 2023.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Feature

Turkey’s World Cup return clouded by politics, dawn kickoffs

Yasin AKGUL / AFP via Getty Images

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Car bomb strikes Turkey's Izmir

The Turkish city of Izmir has become the latest target in a spate of terror attacks.

Turkey: Winner or loser in Syria?

There is unfortunately every indicator that terror will continue to hit Turkey in force during 2017.

Will improved ties with Russia make Turkey regional player?

Not everyone close to the government thinks developing relations with Russia to counterbalance tense ties with the West is the right way to go.

Russia pleased with deepening US-Turkey rift over Syria

Russia is cleverly filling the void created by the estrangement between the United States and Turkey.

Turkey brandishes Incirlik card to threaten US

Turkish officials are hinting at denying US access to the Incirlik Air Base unless Washington halts its support for Syrian Kurds and begins to provide air support for Turkish troops in Syria.

How Istanbul nightclub attack was linked to Turkey’s culture war

Did the Islamic State target “the apostate Turkish government” or New Year's Eve? The answer is complex.

Why 2017 doesn’t bode well for Turkey's economy

Official figures show the Turkish economy has plunged deeper into recession, as expected fourth-quarter economic numbers may not provide much hope.

Turkish police stand guard outisde the Reina nightclub by the Bosphorus, which was attacked by a gunman, in Istanbul, Turkey, January 1, 2017. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RTX2X54B

Turkish leaders cry conspiracy as hunt for Reina attacker continues

In a now familiar pattern, the Turkish authorities are denying any responsibility for the intelligence lapses linked to the stream of terror attacks that have shaken the country and whipping up fury against their opponents to deflect attention from Turkey’s ballooning other problems.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan attend a news conference in Ankara June 9, 2014. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - GM1EA6A03PW01

Turkish-Iranian rivalry may derail Syrian peace efforts

Despite the Moscow Declaration, in which Russia, Turkey and Iran pledged joint efforts to end the war in Syria, the ongoing regional rivalry between Ankara and Tehran could lead to snags in the settlement process.

Why are Yazidis being uprooted again?

The Yazidis of Iraq who escaped Islamic State assaults and took refuge at a camp in Turkey have been told to pack up and move to other camps.

How Iran sees Russian-Turkish deal on Syria

Although it was left out of Russia and Turkey’s announcement of a cease-fire agreement in Syria, Iran is very much involved on the stage as the Moscow-Ankara accord builds on a trilateral understanding with Tehran.

Is Iraqi Kurdistan heading toward civil war?

Iraqi Kurdistan is bracing itself for further political instability, economic hardship and armed conflict after the Islamic State has been defeated.