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Turkey

Turkey

January 16, 2026

Ankara 4:27 pm

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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

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to his supporters on June 7, 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Ghosts of Gezi protests still haunt Erdogan

The timing of President Erdogan’s recent outbursts targeting the 2013 Gezi protests hints that the protests will play a central role in his campaigning ahead of the June 2023 elections.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg poses with application documents.

NATO chief lauds Sweden for addressing Turkey’s terror concerns

Sweden has faced Turkish opposition to its effort to join NATO because of what Turkey perceives as Sweden's support of Kurdish "terrorists."

People shop in a street around Istanbul's famous Grand Bazaar on May 05, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey’s growing current account gap exacerbates lira weakness

A widening current account deficit, coupled with $181 billion in short-term external debt liabilities and plunging foreign investments, portend further currency woes for Turkey.

Erdogan

Does Erdogan have a green light from Russia to move into Syria?

The US and Iran oppose the planned Turkish operation, as Erdogan digs in further on Finland and Sweden’s NATO bids, and warns Greece on the Aegean Islands.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Venezuelan president, top Russian diplomat overlap in Turkey

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro were in Ankara on the same day.

Erdogan

US officials say Turkey ‘well aware’ of their concerns over Syria offensive

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R).

Russia expresses 'understanding' for Turkey’s security concerns in north Syria

Receiving Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu maintains that the creation of a safe maritime corridor for Ukrainian grain exports should be accompanied by the easing of sanctions against Russia.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Eroding judicial independence threatens Turkish elections

Opposition groups are increasingly concerned about Turkey's political climate after recent court rulings showed consistent lenience for the president's supporters.

TOPSHOT - Deputy of HDP (People's Democratic Party) Musa Piroglu (L) in a wheelchair tries to stop Turkish riot policemen near Taksim square in Istanbul on May 31, 2022, as the police blocked the access to the square during the ninth anniversary of the Gezi park and Taksim square demonstrations. - People gathered on May 31, 2022 to mark the ninth anniversary of Gezi park at Taksim square. In 2013, what started as a small campaign to save the Gezi Park from the bulldozers eventually drew an estimated three m

Turkey’s Erdogan pins economic crisis on 2013 Gezi protests

Turkey's president has added the economy to his list of casualties of the nationwide Gezi protests nine years ago.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu shake hands during a joint press conference following their talks in Moscow on March 16, 2022.

Ukraine, Syria top Lavrov's agenda in Turkey

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives in Ankara on June 8.

People and journalists hold banners reading "Freedom for jailed journalists - we will not be silenced" on April 9, 2017 during a demonstration for the freedom of the press in Istanbul.

Turkey’s independent journalists stand against so-called disinformation bill

The new bill in parliament aims to bring further restrictions on freedom of expression online and on social media as elections approach, experts say. 

An image of Nesrin Abdullah, Anne Lindh and Aminah Kakabaveh that prompted a reaction from Turkish officials.

Kurds in Sweden on edge as Turkey presses government to ditch them in exchange for NATO membership

As Sweden’s government survived a non-confidence vote today, its fate was tied to Kurdish lawmaker and former guerrilla Amineh Kakabaveh.