TURKEY: Iranian-Israeli Conflict & more – 17th June 2025

Merhaba from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 17th of June twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

The Iranian–Israeli conflict has dominated the country’s agenda this week. Opposition leaders expressed fear that regional violence could soon hit closer to home. The leader of the government ally, the Great Unity Party, shared the same concern, saying Israel used Iran’s nuclear program to justify the attacks. He warned that Turkey could be next because it is also developing nuclear facilities. He added that the country is speeding up its nuclear and defense projects to stay ready amid rising regional tensions.

These comments followed a wave of social media posts speculating that crowds of Iranians were massing at the Turkish-Iranian border. However, the Disinformation Monitoring Center denied these allegations, saying the footage circulating wasn’t from the Iranian border, and wasn’t new.

Speaking of the Iranian-Israeli conflict, on Tuesday the 17th, Alparslan Bayraktar, Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister, said the conflict hasn’t disrupted the country’s oil or natural gas supplies. He reminded that Turkey stopped importing Iranian oil in twenty nineteen, though it still buys Iranian gas. He said that oil prices have already jumped globally, and natural gas may follow.

The country continues monitoring energy routes closely but sees no immediate risk to domestic supply despite the rising uncertainty in global markets. Bayraktar said that, in the worst-case scenario, about 20% of Turkey’s crude oil might need alternative channels if regional tensions escalate.

Also on Tuesday, a court released Ümit Özdağ, the ultra-nationalist Victory Party leader, after more than five months in pretrial detention. This was the second hearing in his ongoing trial, where he’s charged with publicly inciting hatred and hostility through speeches and social media posts targeting migrants and government officials. Prosecutors argued his rhetoric stirred public unrest.

The trial continues, but Özdağ will remain free while it proceeds. In this session, prosecutors added a repeat-offense charge, raising the possible sentence from around five years to eight. He also faces a separate trial in September for allegedly insulting the president.

Several opposition figures attended the hearing to show support.

In some international news, on Tuesday the 17th, President Erdoğan signed a decree officially removing Hajjaj Bin Fahd Al Ajmi, a Kuwaiti cleric who had been allegedly financing armed groups in Syria, from Turkey’s asset freeze list. His removal followed a United Nations Security Council decision to delist him under counterterrorism sanctions.

The original freeze had been in place since twenty thirteen and blocked any financial or commercial activity involving his assets in Turkey. The UN regularly reviews sanctions listings, and removal usually signals a lack of current evidence or changed circumstances.

On Sunday the 15th, Father’s Day took center stage as Özgür Özel, the leader of the Republican People’s Party or CHP, honored fathers across the country. Özel paid special tribute to his late father, a retired teacher, and Ferdi Zeyrek, the late CHP mayor of Manisa. He also visited Altan Öymen, a former party leader, in the hospital and called other former leaders—including Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu—to send his wishes

He also acknowledged Ekrem İmamoğlu, the party’s presidential candidate and mayor of İstanbul, who is separated from his children while facing corruption charges in prison. Özel expressed hope that Turkey will see better days thanks to the dedication of fathers who keep fighting to secure a proud future for their children.

On Thursday the 12th, Cemil Tugay, the CHP mayor of the western city of İzmir, announced major staff cuts and a new hiring system to reduce payroll pressure. He said he had already removed over 1,000 workers but still can’t cover costs. After a recent strike, the minimum municipal wage jumped to over 82,000 liras, which is about 2,000 US Dollars—nearly four times the national minimum of 22,000 liras, or 630 dollars.

Tugay blamed the union for blocking equal-pay offers and said he will lay off 1,030 more workers, including relatives of union leaders. From now on, new employees will work under an eleven-month trial. He said only those who prove themselves will stay.

On that note about İzmir, on Sunday the 15th, a fire broke out in a plastic factory depot in İzmir’s Konak district, sending thick black smoke across the city. Flames quickly spread through flammable materials, prompting more than sixteen fire trucks and support vehicles to rush in. Smoke reached an adjacent private hospital, leading authorities to evacuate patients as a precaution and treat critical cases in nearby tents.

Firefighters battled to prevent the blaze from entering the hospital and eventually brought it under control. Health officials and the İzmir governor confirmed that no one was hurt and that all patients were safely relocated.

On the same day, new fees came into effect for many health reports issued by family doctors across the country. The Ministry of Health started charging 250 lira, which is six dollars, for reports like driver’s licenses, athlete health certificates, and single-physician fitness reports. Payments must be made online or by scanning a QR code before the report is issued.

The fee applies to reports needed for jobs, sports, pilgrimages, and firearm licenses. More complex reports, such as health board certificates and special licenses, cost significantly more—up to several thousand liras.

On Thursday the 12th, authorities in Marmaris in the southwest shut down fourteen entertainment venues for breaking rules. Two were closed indefinitely due to missing licenses. The others faced temporary bans for illegal activities like aggressive touting, torchlight shows, and dangerous fire stunts.

After the closures, videos surfaced on social media showing wild nightlife scenes—featuring loud crowds, excessive drinking, sexually explicit imagery, and even harassment of tourists in the streets. Many said these scenes harmed Marmaris’s family-friendly and relaxed reputation.

Officials warned these behaviors damage Marmaris’s tourism brand and promised strict enforcement. They pledged zero tolerance for actions disturbing peace or harming visitors’ experience.

The following day, President Erdoğan visited Marmaris, with his outfit stirring social media. He wore a light brown checkered jacket with dark trousers and shoes, as opposed to his usually dark style. The look, reminiscent of his past election-season attire, sparked comments online suggesting he had brought back his so-called winning jacket.

Turhan Çömez, a lawmaker from the opposition party, the Good Party, said the shoes cost 300,000 liras—around 9,000 US Dollars—and were Italian-made. In response, the Disinformation Monitoring Center said the shoes were locally produced and far cheaper than reported.

Meanwhile, on Monday the 16th, a report showed that Turkey’s cruise tourism reached a significant milestone. From January to May, 317 cruise ships docked at ports, bringing in almost 450,000 passengers. This marks the first time since twenty thirteen that passenger numbers in this period have exceeded 400,000. Passenger traffic grew steadily each month, starting with about 30,000 in January, rising to nearly 40,000 in March, then soaring to more than 230,000 in May. Notably, the May count alone surpassed the total for the previous four years combined.

On Tuesday the 17th, Oktay Saral, a chief advisor to President Erdoğan, reposted a message on social media praising Erdoğan’s leadership. His post followed the president’s video promoting new defense industry goals. Erdoğan said Turkey is increasing its missile stockpiles to boost deterrence and ward off threats.

Saral echoed the message with grand, almost devotional language, calling Erdoğan “Sultan” and suggesting he leads not only Turkey but the wider Muslim world. His phrasing sparked debate, as it put into question the use of religious and monarchical language in official political messaging.

Finally, on Monday the 16th, the Trade Ministry added a new item to its Unsafe Products Information System list. The update flagged a reed diffuser sold under the English Home brand. Inspectors found that the product posed a risk of burns and injuries. Authorities banned its sale and ordered it to be pulled from the market.

English Home, a popular home goods retailer, was cited for failing to include a tactile warning on the product’s packaging. Officials said this violated national safety rules for labeling chemical mixtures.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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