Turkey's Fidan to visit UAE as Iran unrest, Gulf tensions intensify The top Turkish diplomat’s UAE visit coincides with heightened Gaza diplomacy, growing tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, and escalating unrest in Iran. Turkey
Analysis Trump dials up risky Iran tariffs that would hit China, UAE and others: What to know Any country trading with Iran now faces a 25% tariff, per the White House, but the move is unlikely to ratchet up pressure on Tehran in the short term. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Turkey warns against foreign intervention in Iran as Trump mulls options Ankara is wary of the consequences of potential US strikes on Iran, warning they could trigger wider regional instability. Turkey
Interview Gaza calm could revive East Med Forum, Israel-Jordan projects: Cohen In an interview with Al-Monitor, Israeli Energy Minister Cohen estimated that the mega gas deal between Israel and Egypt would reinforce the peace treaty and pave the way for stronger security cooperation in combating Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated groups and Hamas.
Analysis Amid Saudi-UAE rivalry, Turkey courts Riyadh without crossing Abu Dhabi By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul From speed to substance in Istanbul’s art scene By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Erdogan blasts European court's ruling on jailed Kurdish leader The European Court of Human Rights said the imprisonment of Selahattin Demirtas had violated his basic rights. Turkey
Turkish Parliament extends troop deployment to Libya The measure, which extends Turkey's presence in Libya by 18 months, had the backing of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party. Turkey
PKK remains thorn in side of Turkish-Iraqi relations The Iraqi government needs Turkey to counterbalance Iran and help alleviate Baghdad's economic problems, but the Kurdish issue, which has long strained bilateral ties, might further snag progress in economic and strategic projects. Iraq
Russia treads lightly in Syrian deadlock Moscow is reacting with marked restraint to the escalation around Ain Issa, even seeming to play along with Ankara, though Turkey and the Syrian National Army have no reason to conduct offensive operations in the area. Syria
Mountain of debt growing under the rug in Turkey Turkey’s loan expansion has helped resuscitate the economy, but at the expense of an alarming surge in consumer and corporate debt. Turkey
Europe human rights court calls on Turkey to release Demirtas Europe’s top human rights court ruled Wednesday for the "immediate release" of Selahattin Demirtas, former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who has been imprisoned for more than four years in Turkey on terror-related charges. Turkey
Germany opposes arms embargo against Turkey Greece has called for European leaders to apply stronger pressure on Ankara over its actions in the eastern Mediterranean, but the appeals have largely fallen on deaf ears. Turkey
Is Turkey on course of foreign policy shift with pan-Turkist flavor? Ankara appears to be mulling a US-friendly foreign policy revision to counter Iran and Russia in the Caucasus and Black Sea regions, but such a shift will not be without geopolitical risks elsewhere. Turkey
KRG asks US forces to deploy along Kurdish-controlled part of Iraqi-Syrian border In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s deputy chief of staff outlined why the Kurdish region's government wants US forces stationed in and around the Fish Khabur border crossing. Iraq
Somalian opposition irked by Turkish support ahead of presidential elections Turkey’s support to Somalia, a focal point of Ankara’s Africa outreach, has become increasingly controversial as the Somalian opposition fears that the president could use it to rig the upcoming elections. Turkey
Turkey sentences former opposition MP to 22 years in prison A Turkish court Monday sentenced Leyla Guven, a deputy with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) who was stripped of her parliamentary seat and legal immunity in June, to more than 22 years in prison on terrorism-related charges. Turkey
Turkey’s Kurdish party target of tug of war between Islamists, ultra-nationalists As Turkey's ruling party and its nationalist ally face a deeper legitimacy crisis, pressure on Kurdish politics is intensifying. Turkey