Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a press conference after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in The Hague on June 25, 2025. (Credit: Ramon van Flymen/ANP/AFP)
The cease-fire between Israel and Iran may have temporarily silenced the missiles, but it provoked strategic introspection on Turkey's part. As a spectator of the conflict, Turkey has been very concerned about the risk of regional conflagration, prompting authorities to urgently reassess their foreign policy and defense priorities. "Unfortunately, the genocide in Gaza and the conflict with Iran are rapidly approaching a point of no return. This madness must stop as soon as possible," said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 20, warning of consequences that could, in his view, destabilize not only the region but also Europe and Asia "for many years." Within the corridors of Turkish power, an implicit question recurs insistently, with Iran's weakening regional power and Israel's growing ambitions: what if...
The cease-fire between Israel and Iran may have temporarily silenced the missiles, but it provoked strategic introspection on Turkey's part. As a spectator of the conflict, Turkey has been very concerned about the risk of regional conflagration, prompting authorities to urgently reassess their foreign policy and defense priorities. "Unfortunately, the genocide in Gaza and the conflict with Iran are rapidly approaching a point of no return. This madness must stop as soon as possible," said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 20, warning of consequences that could, in his view, destabilize not only the region but also Europe and Asia "for many years." Within the corridors of Turkish power, an implicit question recurs insistently, with Iran's weakening regional power and Israel's growing ambitions: what...
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