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

Turkey

Turkey

January 16, 2026

Ankara 2:23 pm

5°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.

Latest News

Analysis

Trump dials up risky Iran tariffs that would hit China, UAE and others: What to know

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.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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

Turkey protest

Turkish journalists, free speech advocates protest draft bill

Turkish press unions organized nationwide rallies Tuesday to protest the likely passage of a so-called disinformation bill. They worry that jail sentences of up to three years for spreading fake news could be applied to any news the government disapproves of.

Stoltenberg

No breakthrough in Turkey’s talks with Sweden, Finland over joining NATO

Discussions between Turkey, Finland and Sweden about the Nordic countries' proposed NATO membership have ended inconclusively as Ankara showed no signs of abandoning its hardline position.

A picture shows an Emirates Airlines airplane at Dubai International Airport on Feb. 1, 2021.

Middle East airlines to suffer losses again in 2022

The International Air Transport Association said that airlines in the region will fare somewhat better financially due to the return of long-haul flights.

Burak Kara/Getty Images

Turkish court bans Erdogan rival from own party

The ruling appears to be a pattern of similar events befalling political rivals of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of the 2023 elections.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Pressure ramps up on Turkish news media as elections near

Turkey’s independent news stations tell Al-Monitor that heavy fines threaten free and fair representation ahead of upcoming elections.

SAFIN HAMED/AFP via Getty Images

Silence from Baghdad as Turkish drone kills Yazidi child in Sinjar

The Iraqi government has yet to comment after a 12-year-old was killed in the latest Turkish strike on northern Iraq's Sinjar region.

Turkey map

Turkey struggles with name rebrand

Turkey’s rollout this month of its new official name, Türkiye, is already facing difficulties.

Turkey economy

Analysis

Turkey ‘highly vulnerable’ to liquidity pinch, says leading credit agency

Turkey, Tunisia and other countries in the Middle East could face liquidity challenges amid rising interest rates worldwide.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Turkey's President and leader of the Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey not backing down from threats to block Sweden, Finland from NATO

Following a call with NATO's chief, Erdogan is showing no signs of backing off in the standoff over Sweden and Finland’s bids to join the alliance.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (C-L) and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visit the Greek Naval frigate Salamis.

Aegean waters heat up as Turkey, Greece exchange barbs over islands

With rhetoric and naval drills heating up in the Aegean Sea, even NATO is calling on the two allies to deescalate recent tensions.

Diyarbakir Kurds

Kurdish journalists in southeast Turkey still uncharged after week in jail

Colleagues of 20 detained journalists say they believe their arrests are tied to Turkey’s planned military operation against Syrian Kurdish militants.

Turkish pharmacy

UAE-Turkey economic relations continue to tighten with pharma deal

The Emirati investment firm ADQ has acquired Birgi Mefar Group.