The move comes ahead of Trump’s expected visit to Ankara next month for a NATO summit, where bilateral ties and regional security issues are expected to be on the agenda.

The Halki Seminary, established in 1844 on Heybeliada Island in the Sea of Marmara, served as the principal theological institution of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate before being closed by Turkish authorities in 1971.

The school educated generations of Orthodox clergy, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s Eastern Orthodox Christians, whose patriarchate remains headquartered in Istanbul.

According to Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, whose diocese covers Istanbul, Erdogan has directed Turkiye’s higher education authorities to continue consultations with representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate regarding the institution’s future.

The metropolitan said the issue had entered a “new phase” following the president’s intervention, indicating that formal institutional discussions had resumed after years of limited progress.

While no timeline has been established for reopening the seminary, officials and church representatives are expected to address several outstanding issues, including restoration work, governance arrangements and the legal framework under which the institution would operate.

The seminary was closed following a 1971 ruling by Turkiye’s Constitutional Court requiring private higher education institutions to be integrated into the state university system. The Ecumenical Patriarchate opposed the requirement, arguing that it would compromise the school’s religious autonomy.

The reopening of Halki has long been a point of discussion between Ankara and Western governments. The United States, Greece and the European Union have repeatedly urged Turkiye to allow the institution to resume operations, viewing the issue as an important measure of religious freedom and minority rights.

Trump reportedly raised the matter during talks with Erdogan in Washington last year, adding momentum to diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving one of the most enduring disputes involving the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

For Ankara, any progress on Halki could serve as a signal of engagement with Western allies at a time when Turkiye is seeking to balance strategic ties with NATO partners while pursuing an independent regional foreign policy.

Church officials cautioned that significant administrative and legal work remains before the seminary can reopen. Nevertheless, the renewed dialogue marks the most tangible movement on the issue in years and raises the prospect that the institution could eventually resume its role as a center for Orthodox theological education.

More than 800 party delegates submitted petitions calling for a special congress to elect a new leader, according to a party source, surpassing the threshold required under CHP bylaws to convene a gathering within 45 days.

The move follows a controversial ruling by an Ankara court in May that annulled the CHP’s 2023 leadership election over allegations of vote-buying and restored Kilicdaroglu to the party leadership.

The decision triggered strong opposition within the CHP and intensified tensions between rival factions of the party. Critics argued that the court ruling interfered with the internal affairs of Turkiye’s largest opposition movement at a time when it has been gaining political momentum.

Ozgur Ozel, who emerged as a prominent critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his tenure as party leader, has repeatedly rejected Kilicdaroglu’s reinstatement and called for a fresh vote, arguing that the party cannot be governed by what he describes as an imposed leadership.

Political analysts expect a fierce internal contest in the coming weeks. While Ozel’s supporters have succeeded in forcing the issue onto the party agenda, observers say Kilicdaroglu is likely to resist efforts to organize a rapid leadership vote and could seek procedural or legal avenues to delay the congress.

The dispute has further deepened divisions within a party already grappling with years of internal debate over strategy, leadership and electoral performance.

The CHP, founded by the republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, has recently strengthened its position against Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), particularly after securing significant victories in the 2024 local elections.

Opposition figures have accused authorities of pursuing politically motivated actions against the CHP in an effort to weaken its growing electoral appeal. Those accusations intensified following the court decision and subsequent police operations at party headquarters.

Kilicdaroglu led the CHP for more than a decade before being voted out at the party congress in 2023. His departure followed a closely contested presidential election in which he lost to Erdogan, prompting widespread calls within the party for leadership renewal.

The outcome of the proposed extraordinary congress is likely to shape the future direction of the CHP and could influence the broader balance of power in Turkish politics as opposition parties seek to challenge Erdogan’s long-standing dominance.

With rival camps now preparing for a potentially decisive confrontation, the CHP faces one of the most consequential internal battles in its recent history.

Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in parliament, Erdogan said Ankara’s security was directly linked to developments in neighboring Syria and Lebanon and accused Israel’s leadership of expanding its military actions in the region.

“The attacks by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his network of murder on Lebanon and Syria have brought the issue to a point where it also threatens Turkiye,” Erdogan said, adding that Turkiye would not remain unaffected by instability along its southern borders.

NATO member Turkiye has been among the most vocal critics of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, and has repeatedly called for international legal action against Israel. Ankara has also suspended trade with Israel in response to the conflict and has urged coordinated international measures.

Erdogan said Israel’s actions were not limited to the Levant, accusing it of attempting to destabilize regions beyond the Middle East, including parts of Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. He also referred to tensions involving Cyprus, warning against what he described as efforts to inflame divisions on the island.

“These small entities, whose ambitions far exceed their size, have boarded Israel’s boat of mischief,” Erdogan said, without providing further detail, adding that Turkiye would respond strongly to any perceived infringement of its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Turkish president also urged global powers to take a firmer stance against Israel, arguing that it had been emboldened by what he called the “silence of the international community.”

“Pulling Israel back to within the bounds of the rule of law has become a shared duty not just for certain countries, but for all of humanity,” he said.

Turkiye shares borders with Syria and lies near Lebanon across the Eastern Mediterranean, placing it within the broader strategic arc affected by the ongoing regional conflict.

The operation followed a decision by an appeals court on Thursday that annulled the results of the CHP’s 2023 party congress and removed party leader Ozgur Ozel from office, citing irregularities in the internal election process.

The court reinstated former CHP chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who led the opposition against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2023 presidential election but was defeated at the polls.

A Reuters witness said riot police used tear gas and forced entry into the CHP headquarters as supporters and party officials attempted to resist efforts to implement the court order. Images from the scene showed party supporters gathering outside the building in central Ankara while security forces secured the area.

The confrontation marked the latest development in a growing dispute over the leadership of the CHP, Turkey’s largest opposition party and the principal challenger to Erdogan’s ruling political bloc.

Ozel rejected the court ruling and described it as a “judicial coup,” arguing that the judiciary was interfering in the internal affairs of the opposition. He vowed to challenge the decision through legal channels and pledged to remain at party headquarters while pursuing appeals.

On Saturday, Ozel called for a new party congress to be convened as quickly as possible in an effort to resolve the leadership dispute through another internal vote.

Kilicdaroglu, meanwhile, said a congress would be organized at what he described as an appropriate time, signaling a different approach to managing the transition following the court decision.

Despite the ruling removing him as party chairman, CHP lawmakers on Saturday elected Ozel as leader of the party’s parliamentary group, underscoring continued support for him among many elected party representatives.
The leadership battle comes at a sensitive moment for Turkish politics, with the CHP seeking to maintain unity after years of internal debate over strategy and leadership following Erdogan’s victory in the 2023 presidential contest.
The court decision and subsequent police operation are likely to deepen tensions between the opposition and the government, with CHP officials continuing to argue that judicial institutions are being used to influence political outcomes, an accusation authorities reject.

The flooding struck the Havza district in Samsun province after heavy rains caused local rivers to overflow, sending fast-moving water through streets and sweeping away vehicles and debris, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Emergency footage broadcast by local media showed submerged roads and stranded residents, including a truck driver standing atop his vehicle awaiting rescue as floodwaters surged around him.

Authorities said basement and ground-floor levels of multiple buildings were flooded as rescue teams worked overnight to evacuate residents and clear blocked streets.

Anadolu reported that none of the injured were in critical condition. Some victims sought treatment independently, while others were transported to hospitals by emergency responders.

Firefighters, police units and disaster response teams were deployed across the district to assist stranded residents and remove debris left behind by the floodwaters.

Turkiye has faced repeated episodes of severe flooding in recent years, particularly along the Black Sea region, where mountainous terrain and intense seasonal rainfall have increased the risk of flash floods and landslides.

The aircraft was en route to Armenia when the incident occurred, where Sanchez was scheduled to attend a meeting of the European Political Community.

Spanish authorities said the delegation would remain overnight in Ankara before continuing the journey on Monday.

No details were provided regarding the nature of the technical problem.European leaders are gathering in Yerevan for the EPC meeting, which is set to begin Monday.

The People’s Equality and Democracy Party, known as DEM, played a key role in facilitating renewed dialogue between the Turkish state and the PKK after jailed militant leader Abdullah Ocalan called in February 2025 for the group to lay down arms and pursue a political settlement.

Speaking to party lawmakers in parliament, DEM co-chair Tulay Hatimogullari said the government had failed to build on the momentum created by Ocalan’s appeal and was slowing progress toward a lasting resolution.

“While such a bright outlook lies ahead of us, and we should be moving at full speed toward the goal of peace, the government is acting in a hesitant, timid and stalling manner,” Hatimogullari said.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, halted attacks and announced in May 2025 that it had decided to disband and end its armed insurgency, which has killed more than 40,000 people since it began in 1984.

Ankara, however, has insisted that the group must take further concrete steps and that any disarmament must be independently verified before broader political or legal reforms can proceed.Government officials and Kurdish representatives have repeatedly traded blame over the pace of implementation, with tensions rising more than a year after expectations of a breakthrough first emerged.

In February, a Turkish parliamentary commission overwhelmingly approved a report outlining a roadmap for legal reforms to accompany the PKK’s disbandment, moving the peace process further into the legislative arena.

The conflict has destabilized Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast for decades and has also spilled across borders into northern Iraq and Syria, where Kurdish militant networks remain active.Hatimogullari said prolonged hesitation risked weakening trust and damaging the broader political opening created by recent developments.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has not publicly responded to her latest remarks.

Speaking to reporters in London on Friday evening, Fidan said a multinational technical team was expected to oversee demining operations in the strait following any formal Iran-U.S. agreement, adding that Ankara viewed such participation positively as a humanitarian responsibility.

He said Türkiye would have “no problem” taking part in mine-clearing efforts if they were conducted under an internationally coordinated and neutral framework designed to ensure maritime safety rather than military advantage.

Fidan stressed that any operation would depend on the structure of the future coalition and the political conditions surrounding it.He cautioned that Ankara would reassess its position if any technical coalition involved in demining later became party to renewed military confrontation, indicating that Türkiye would avoid joining any mission that could compromise its diplomatic neutrality.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints, carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments and serving as a critical route for energy exports from Gulf producers to international markets.

Tensions around the strait escalated sharply after the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that began on Feb. 28, followed by Tehran’s retaliatory actions and effective restrictions on navigation through the narrow waterway, pushing global energy prices higher and raising fears of broader regional disruption.

Washington said last week it had begun demining work in coordination with Tehran, although Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed such cooperation.Several countries, including European naval powers, have since indicated readiness to contribute to a neutral maritime security mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation and preventing further disruption to global shipping.

Germany has already announced plans to deploy a minesweeper to the Mediterranean in preparation for a possible Hormuz mission, while French and British defense officials have also signaled support for coordinated action.

Fidan also said he believed issues related to Iran’s nuclear program could be resolved during the next round of diplomatic talks expected to take place in Islamabad, where both Washington and Tehran are expected to send envoys.

Türkiye has sought to position itself as a balancing actor in the wider Middle East conflict, maintaining dialogue with both Western allies and regional powers while emphasizing de-escalation and diplomatic settlement over direct military involvement.

Its potential role in Hormuz demining reflects Ankara’s broader strategy of supporting regional stability without becoming directly entangled in confrontation.

The bombardment signals the risks of a deepening rift between two powerful regional militaries over Syria, where Islamist rebels have installed a new government after toppling former leader Bashar al-Assad in December.

The Israeli strikes on the three sites Turkey was assessing, including a heavy barrage on Wednesday night, came despite Ankara’s efforts to reassure Washington that a deeper military presence in Syria was not intended to threaten Israel.

The Islamists replacing Assad have alarmed Israel, which is wary of an Islamist presence on its border and has lobbied the United States to curb Turkey’s growing influence in the country.

Ankara, a longtime backer of opposition to Assad, is positioning to play a major role in the remade Syria, including with a possible joint defence pact that could see new Turkish bases in central Syria and use of Syria’s airspace.

In preparation, Turkish military teams in recent weeks visited the T4 and Palmyra air bases in Syria’s Homs province and the main airport in Hama province, according to a regional intelligence official, two Syrian military sources and another Syrian source familiar with the matter.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the visits, which have not been previously reported.

Turkish teams evaluated the state of the runways, hangars and other infrastructure at the bases, the regional intelligence official said.

Another planned visit to T4 and Palmyra on March 25 was cancelled after Israel struck both bases just hours beforehand, according to the regional intelligence official and the two Syrian military sources.

Strikes at T4 “destroyed the runway, tower, hangars and the planes that were grounded. It was a tough message that Israel won’t accept the expanded Turkish presence,” said the intelligence official, who reviewed photographs of the damage.

“T4 is totally unusable now,” said a fourth Syrian source, who is close to Turkey.

When asked about the visits, a Turkish defence ministry official said: “Reports and posts regarding developments in Syria – whether real or alleged – that do not originate from official authorities should not be taken into consideration, as they lack credibility and may be misleading.”

A spokesperson for Syria’s defence ministry declined to comment.

Turkey’s foreign ministry on Thursday called Israel “the greatest threat to regional security”. On Friday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters Turkey wanted no confrontation with Israel in Syria.

Heavy Strikes

In the four months since Assad was toppled, Israel has seized ground in southwest Syria, made overtures to the Druze minority, and struck much of the Syrian military’s heavy weapons and equipment. Wednesday’s strikes were some of the most intense yet.

Syria’s foreign ministry said Israel struck five separate areas within a 30-minute window, resulting in the near-total destruction of the Hama base and wounding dozens of civilians and soldiers.

Israel said it hit the T4 air base and other military capabilities at air bases in Hama and Homs provinces, as well as military infrastructure in the Damascus area.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the air strikes a warning that “we will not allow the security of the State of Israel to be harmed”. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Ankara of seeking a “Turkish protectorate” in Syria.

Noa Lazimi, a specialist in Middle East politics at Bar-Ilan University, said Israel was concerned that Turkey could establish Russian anti-aircraft systems and drones at T4.

“The base would enable Turkey to establish air superiority in this area, and this poses a serious concern for Israel because it undermines its operational freedom in the region,” she said.

Ideological Collision Course

Turkey has tried to reassure the U.S. that it wants to work towards a stable Syria.

Foreign Minister Fidan told U.S. officials in Washington last month that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa would not pose a threat to neighbours, according to a senior regional diplomat close to Turkey and a source in Washington briefed on the meetings.

Fidan and other Turkish officials had earlier told Sharaa that Ankara was carefully calibrating its moves towards a defence pact so as not to irk Washington, one of the Syrian military sources said.

“Turkey, not Israel, would pay the highest price among regional states were there to be failure or destabilization in Syria, including with refugees and security,” an official in Turkey’s ruling AK Party told Reuters.

Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute think tank, said Turkey and Israel were on an “ideological collision course” but could avoid military escalation through mediation with Washington.

The Erdogan government has been funding religious seminars in India, recruiting fundamentalists to radicalise people and even take freshly-minted radicals on all-expense trips to Turkey to reinforce their learnings.

Radical Islamist organizations in India especially in Kerala and Kashmir are funded by Turkish outfits backed by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government in Ankara, according to a report published on Friday by Hindustan Times.

The report quoted a senior government official who said that, “there is an effort to radicalize Indian Muslims and recruit fundamentalists coordinated from Turkey”, highlighting the recent security assessment that noted the emergence of Turkey as “the hub of anti-India activities”.

Report highlighted that President Erdogan’s agenda is to expand his influence among South Asian muslims, with an underlying tone to challenge Saudi Arabia’s existing reverence in the eyes of million of Muslims across the Islamic world. Erdogan is offering a conservative Turkey with deep-rooted Turkish-Ottoman traditions for other Muslim countries to follow.

Regarding the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque on 17th July 2020 by Erdogan’s government, the report stated that it’s “Turkey’s rebirth as a powerful Muslim nation”, which has Erdogan’s long-term plans to project himself as a global protector of Muslims, much like Ottoman Sultans.

Indian security officials said that a Kerala-based Islamist radical organization had received funds from Turkey for some time, and that they have been traveling to Qatar to meet some people from Turkey to seek funding for their activities.

“The Erdogan government has been funding religious seminars in India, recruiting fundamentalists to radicalise people and even take freshly-minted radicals on all-expense trips to Turkey to reinforce their learnings”, the report added.

Report also mentioned controversial preacher Dr. Zakir Naik’s name for receiving funds from Turkey.

Counter-terrorism expert Abhinav Pandaya wrote that, “Turkey funds NGOs for outreach among Indian Muslims, Muslim student exchange programs, and influence within madrasas and mosques – not yet on the scale of Erdogan’s initiatives with the Turkish diaspora in Germany and Austria and other EU states, but with the same intention: to ensure an equation between Muslim leadership and the personality of Erdogan”.

According to Turkish columnist Abdullah Bozkurt, Erdogan has directed all his diplomats to approach prominent clerics, businessmen and politicians, and pointed out towards radical preacher Sheikh Salman Nadwi as a main conduit for establishing an Erdogan support base among Indian Muslims.

However, the report mentioned about UAE’s change of attitude towards India. “United Arab Emirates used to be a second home for Pakistan’s ISI between 2000 and 2020 for all the anti-India activities. However, since 2014 UAE has turned into one of the India’s closest allies with “no protection or sanctuary” for anyone indulging in such activities”, it stated.