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

Turkey

Turkey

January 15, 2026

Ankara 11:30 pm

4°C

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) shakes hands with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during press conference in Tehran on Nov. 30, 2025.

Analysis

Why Iran regime’s potential collapse spells more risk than benefit for Turkey

Iran’s leadership faces its most serious unrest in years, and rising Kurdish mobilization makes the prospect of regime collapse particularly risky for Turkey.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (L) and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a joint press conference in Tehran, on Nov. 30, 2025.

In call with Araghchi, Turkey's Fidan urges Iran to negotiate with US

The top Turkish diplomat held back-to-back calls with Iranian and US officials as Ankara watches developments in Iran with mounting concern.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan listens to Iran's foreign minister during a joint press conference, in Tehran on Nov. 30, 2025.

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.

Sadaf Ebrahimi walks down a row of demonstrators at Lafayette Park in front of the White House during the "Free Iran" rally on Jan 10, 2026, in Washington.

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.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Latest News

Turkey warns against foreign intervention in Iran as Trump mulls options

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as they attend the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Khankendi, Azerbaijan on July 4, 2025.

Interview

Gaza calm could revive East Med Forum, Israel-Jordan projects: Cohen

Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen gives a press conference in Larnaca on December 20, 2023 talking about a humanitarian aid corridor from the Mediterranean island to war-torn Gaza. (Photo by Elisa AMOURET / AFP) (Photo by ELISA AMOURET/AFP via Getty Images)

Eli Cohen

Eli Cohen

Israeli Energy Minister

Analysis

Amid Saudi-UAE rivalry, Turkey courts Riyadh without crossing Abu Dhabi

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) gestures as he welcomes Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman (R) during an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on June 22, 2022.

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

LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images

Greece’s growing influence frustrates Erdogan

Though Erdogan’s outbursts at Greece are widely seen as an attempt to lure nationalist voters ahead of elections next year, his anger is fueled by some very real frustrations in the region.

Turkey air force

NATO gaffe sign of bigger strife between Turkey, Greece

The recent Turkish-Greek row over Twitter might be a taste of things to come

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) in Athens on May 31, 2021.

Turkey, Greece escalate war of words as they drag in EU, NATO

The Turkish and Greek foreign ministers write dueling letters to key international actors as leaders exchange barbs after Erdogan’s one-liner that Turkey “can come suddenly one night.”

Turkey crypto

Despite ‘crypto winter,’ digital currency use remains high in Turkey

Crypto is down, but not out for dedicated traders, particularly in high inflation markets like Turkey, where digital tokens continue to draw users looking to earn, save and transfer hard currencies.

Co-leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Pervin Buldan delivers a speech during the party's meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara on April 26, 2022.

Cracks in Turkey’s opposition alliance emerge over ties to HDP Kurds

Infighting within the major alliance of six Turkish opposition parties over the role of the country’s largest pro-Kurdish group has the ruling party palpably gleeful.

People wave Turkish flags in an immigrant-heavy district.

Public outcry as EU increasingly rejects Turkish visas

The Turkish public’s outcry over the growing number of EU visa rejections has prompted the Turkish government to threaten the EU with countermeasures, but the matter will unlikely be resolved until underlying structural problems are addressed.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Far-right Turkish leader likens Syrian refugees to garbage, vows expulsion

Ultranationalist Meral Aksener's plans include “isolating” migrants in “concentration camps” and forcing them to return to their countries of origin against their will under a formal policy of refoulement.

(From L-R) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (3rd-L) and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) attend a meeting with members of Bosnia and Herzegovina's tripartite presidency Sefik Dzaferovic (3rd-R), Milorad Dodik (2nd-L) and Zeljko Komsic (2nd R) and Bosnian Security Minister Selmo Cikotic (R) in Sarajevo on Sept. 6, 2022.

Erdogan travels to Balkans as tensions rise between former Yugoslav states

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s trip to Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia comes as ethnic rivalries bristle 30 years after the war.

Turkey economy

Turkey’s inflation tops 80% as poverty deepens

Even though Turkey’s economy continued to expand in the second quarter, the share of payments to employees dropped to the lowest level since Erdogan’s party came to power two decades ago.

Libya clash

Turkey supports Libya's Tripoli forces amid deadly battles

Turkey hosted two rival Libyan premiers in Istanbul in bid to strike a conciliation between the clashing parties.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Erdogan calls Turkey’s teachers 'looters' amid protests, calls for exam boycott

Turkey's president has called protesting teachers "looters," a derogative reminiscent of the 2013 Gezi protests.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Exiled Turkish mafia boss Sedat Peker makes new corruption claims

Presidential advisers are implicated in an alleged bribery ring targeting business figures.