Türkiye's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, stated on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels that Ankara seeks to prevent any direct confrontation with Israel in Syria.
"We don't want to see any confrontation with Israel in Syria because Syria belongs to Syrians," Fidan said, warning that repeated Israeli strikes on military facilities in Syria are undermining the new government's ability to deter threats from enemies, including the Islamic State.
Fidan noted that Israel’s actions are fueling regional instability by targeting Syria, where President Ahmed al-Sharaa's transitional government, an ally of Türkiye, is trying to consolidate control after years of conflict. Türkiye, which shares a 911 km border with Syria, has emerged as a major power broker in the country, having long supported the rebel groups that now form the core of Syria's new Islamist administration. Israel, for its part, has accused Türkiyeof attempting to turn Syria into a Turkish protectorate.
When asked if Türkiye's plans for a joint defence pact with Syria were provoking intensified Israeli strikes on Syrian military bases, Fidan explained that Ankara is working with regional partners to build a joint platform with Syria. This platform aims to block the re-emergence of the Islamic State and combat shared threats, including those posed by the banned Kurdish Workers Party (PKK). He cautioned that undermining these efforts could plunge the region back into chaos.
Fidan also remarked on the broader regional dynamics. While Türkiye has vocally criticised Israel over its actions in Gaza—accusing it of committing genocide against Palestinians and even applying to join a World Court case against Israel—he emphasized that Türkiye's primary concern in Syria is preventing militant groups like ISIS and the PKK from exploiting the transitional period marked by reduced military capabilities.
Discussing Türkiye's regional role further, Fidan added that if Syria’s new administration decides to establish certain understandings with Israel, that is ultimately their own business. Ankara, however, remains committed to supporting Syria’s reconstruction—from rebuilding infrastructure to restoring state institutions—and has called for the full lifting of Western sanctions on Syria.
Fidan also touched on Türkiye's relations with the United States. After holding talks with U.S. officials in Washington last week, he said that the Trump administration was reviewing its policy and sanctions on Syria, noting, "Now we have a new Syria. I think that new Syria requires a different approach." He expressed optimism that Trump's "problem-solving techniques" could eventually resolve lingering disputes, including those related to U.S. sanctions on Türkiye's defence industry, even as any potential peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow remains difficult to accept.
Meanwhile, Türkiye continues to play a balancing act in its relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, maintaining its role as the second-largest army in NATO and as an important guarantor of security in the region. Fidan reiterated Türkiye's offer to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, following initial discussions hosted in 2022.
On the issue of U.S. threats against Iran, Fidan stressed the need for diplomacy, saying, "We need to bring the Americans and the Iranians together to have frank and sincere discussions. This should be the only way forward."
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At least 30,000 displaced people have sought protection in shelters across Lebanon following an escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday, and added that many more were expected to join them.
Syria’s economy is showing clear signs of recovery, with economic activity accelerating in recent months, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Wednesday.
Four members of Syria’s Internal Security Forces were killed and two others injured on Monday (23 February) in an attack by the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group targeting a checkpoint west of Raqqa in northeastern Syria, the Interior Ministry said.
Syria has secured a $50 million financing package from the World Bank to support transport infrastructure projects as the country advances its economic recovery efforts, Syrian media reported on Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. military has enough stockpiled weapons to fight wars "forever"; in a social media post late on Monday. The remarks came hours before conflict in Iran and the Middle East entered its fourth day.
U.S. first lady, Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict on Monday (2 March), a move criticised by Iran as hypocritical following U.S. and Israeli strikes that triggered a UN warning about risks to children.
A torpedo from a U.S. submarine has sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth told reporters. The Sri Lankan navy carried out a rescue operation for dozens of sailors in the wake of the strike.
The U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones resulting in a limited fire and some material damage, the kingdom's defence ministry said in a post on X on Tuesday, citing an initial assessment.
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have surged to levels last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, raising fears of economic disruption and higher prices worldwide.
The U.S. Department of Defense has released a video of a submarine strike on an Iranian warship off the southern Sri Lankan coast. At least 80 people died in the U.S. attack on the vessel, Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister said.
Rising tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect Kazakhstan’s economy and citizens, disrupting grain trade across the Caspian Sea and prompting the evacuation of hundreds of Kazakh nationals from several countries in the region.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the country’s expanding gas exports to Europe and its renewable energy ambitions during the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council’s 12th Ministerial Meeting and the Green Energy Advisory Council’s 4th Ministerial Meeting in Baku on Tuesday (3 March).
Tehran residents walk past the ruins of buildings destroyed by U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. Meanwhile, groups of people gather on the streets of the Iranian capital holding flags of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Ankara is ready to help reinforce the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as clashes between the two neighbours continue for a sixth consecutive day.
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