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

Turkey

Turkey

March 20, 2026

Ankara 7:13 pm

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Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (2L) arrive to address a joint press conference in Doha on March 19, 2026. (Photo by Karim JAAFAR / AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey, Qatar pledge to deepen defense ties, blame Israel for Iran war

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s trip to Doha is part of a Gulf tour that began Wednesday in Riyadh, as Iran continues to strike energy assets across the region.

A Patriot anti-missile battery launcher, deployed by Dutch NATO soldiers, is seen March 11, 2003 at the Diyarbakir military airport in southeastern Turkey.

NATO deploys new Patriot battery to Turkey as Fidan in Riyadh for regional talks

The deployment to a key Turkish airbase likely signals NATO planners’ heightened concern over Turkey’s military assets.

An Iraqi oil tanker waits at the Khawr Abd Allah canal leading up to Al-Faw port in southern Iraq, on June 6, 2024.

Desperate to sell its oil, Iraq turns to Turkey amid standoff with Kurds

As Iraq looks to reroute oil to Turkey, Baghdad is also using the plan to push the Iraqi Kurds to greenlight exports through their territory.

Latest News

Analysis

No strangers to turmoil, Turkey-Iran to maintain ties under Mojtaba Khamenei

Ali IHSAN OZTURK / AFP via Getty Images

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Feature

Iranians crossing into Turkey haunted by regime crackdown more than war

Iranian nationals arrive in Turkey after passing through the Razi-Kapikoy border crossing in Van, northeastern Turkey, on March 3, 2026.

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen set at Red Square as he addresses a rally and a concert marking the annexation of four regions of Ukraine Russian troops occupy - Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, in central Moscow on September 30, 2022. (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)

Al-Monitor/Premise poll: Russia's role seen as negative in Turkey, Yemen, Iraq

The Russian invasion of Ukraine hurt the region economically, as supply chain disruptions and food shortages topped respondents concerns in Turkey, Egypt, Yemen and Iraq

SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s Central Bank slashes interest rates after devastating earthquakes

The move is likely aimed at weathering the fallout from the devastating earthquakes in accordance with the Turkish government's economy policy to prioritize economic growth at the expense of inflation.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Uproar in Turkey as religious body greenlights marriage with quake orphans

Turks are outraged by the powerful Diyanet religious body ruling it permissible to marry adopted children after thousands were left orphaned by the earthquakes.

A man sits atop a rolled-up tent in the garden of Yenimahalle Cemevi.

Turkey bans layoffs, introduces benefits, amid mounting earthquake failures

The Turkish government’s new decisions come amid mounting criticism over its failure to provide a timely and organized response to the killer earthquakes.

Turkish soldiers stand next to a destroyed building in Hatay.

Turkish youth dies in police custody as impunity soars in wake of Turkey's killer quakes

Vigilantes and members of the Turkish gendarmerie are brutalizing some survivors in the provinces struck by the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.

Greece's Minister for the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Christos Stylianides (R) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (C) during a meeting with a Search and Rescue team that assisted during the earthquake in Turkey, in Athens, on February 21, 2023. (Photo by MICHAEL VARAKLAS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Blinken urges Turkey, Greece to end dispute in wake of earthquake goodwill

Wrapping up his Greece visit, the top American diplomat focused on unity among allies as the Ukraine invasion's first anniversary nears.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Powerful new earthquake hits Turkey, trapping several under rubble

Another 6.4-magnitude quake struck Turkey’s southern province of Hatay, one of the worst-hit areas just two weeks ago, killing at least six people.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (C) disembarks his plane at Paris-Le Bourget Aiport, north of Paris as he arrives for his visit to Paris, on March 8, 2022. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Blinken heads to earthquake-hit Turkey in first visit

The US secretary of state will view earthquake relief efforts at Incirlik Air Base and meet with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara.

rescuers of Aleyna Olmez hug in Turkey

248 hours after earthquake, Turkish teen rescued from rubble

Aleyna Olmez, a 17-year-old girl in Kahramanmaras miraculously survived under the rubble of a collapsed building for nearly 11 days.

BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images

How building code spared one Turkish town from earthquake

A mayor in devastated Hatay province says his town escaped the destruction seen elsewhere thanks in part to enforcement of construction codes.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

NATO chief in Turkey, urges swift ratification of Sweden, Finland memberships

In Ankara, NATO chief made first visit after the earthquake, and pressed for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance together.

Armenian rescuers use a dog in search in rescue operations after the earthquake in Aleppo, Syria, February 2023.

Quake disaster delivers diplomatic silver lining for Turkey

Post-quake solidarity has warmed Turkey’s ties with Greece, Armenia and Israel, but no thaw is seen between Turkey and Syria despite their common suffering from the disaster.