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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone conversation with his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov, on Monday to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. The two diplomats also reviewed preparations for an upcoming high-level strategic cooperation council meeting between Türkiye and Uzbekistan.At least six Iranian security personnel have been killed and approximately 200 protest leaders arrested as anti-government demonstrations continue across the country, according to state media. The protests, driven by economic grievances including currency depreciation, have prompted intensified security operations and resulted in conflicting casualty reports from different sources.At least six Iranian security personnel have been killed and approximately 200 protest leaders arrested as anti-government demonstrations continue across the country, according to state media. The protests, driven by economic grievances including currency depreciation, have prompted intensified security operations and resulted in conflicting casualty reports from different sources.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greeted members of the press in Istanbul's Beyoglu district to commemorate Working Journalists' Day. He expressed his hopes for future anniversaries together, marking the occasion with several cabinet ministers.Türkiye's Communications Directorate paid tribute to press members on Working Journalists' Day, with special remembrance for reporters killed in Gaza. The message underscored the importance of press freedom and access to information.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone conversation with his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov, on Monday to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. The two diplomats also reviewed preparations for an upcoming high-level strategic cooperation council meeting between Türkiye and Uzbekistan.At least six Iranian security personnel have been killed and approximately 200 protest leaders arrested as anti-government demonstrations continue across the country, according to state media. The protests, driven by economic grievances including currency depreciation, have prompted intensified security operations and resulted in conflicting casualty reports from different sources.At least six Iranian security personnel have been killed and approximately 200 protest leaders arrested as anti-government demonstrations continue across the country, according to state media. The protests, driven by economic grievances including currency depreciation, have prompted intensified security operations and resulted in conflicting casualty reports from different sources.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greeted members of the press in Istanbul's Beyoglu district to commemorate Working Journalists' Day. He expressed his hopes for future anniversaries together, marking the occasion with several cabinet ministers.Türkiye's Communications Directorate paid tribute to press members on Working Journalists' Day, with special remembrance for reporters killed in Gaza. The message underscored the importance of press freedom and access to information.

So what happens if Iran strikes Israel? A regional “Nuclear Shield” must be established

İbrahim Karagül
İbrahim Karagül
20:04, 15/01/2026, Thursday • Yeni Şafak News Center
So what happens if Iran strikes Israel? A regional “Nuclear Shield” must be established
So what happens if Iran strikes Israel? A regional “Nuclear Shield” must be established

For no clear reason, the US and Israel pushed the entire world into a state of alert with talk of “attacking Iran.” Social unrest inside Iran was interpreted as “Iran is collapsing.”

They were swept up by the enthusiasm of Iranian opposition groups and supporters of the Shah’s regime. When Israeli provocations and Trump’s careless statements were added to the mix, the entire region went on war alert.

But there was no real preparation. The US, which spent a year preparing and amassing forces before invading Iraq—bringing dozens of countries on board before launching an attack—was not increasing its military buildup in the region this time. Instead, it was evacuating bases such as the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

THE US AND ISRAEL DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO OCCUPY IRAN. AN “INTERNAL OCCUPATION” ALSO SEEMS UNLIKELY.

Despite all the talk of “war,” the Trump administration neither knows nor understands Iran, and was speaking recklessly, emboldened by the kidnapping of Maduro.

This mindset could still lead to an attack on Iran—that is certainly possible. But it is clear they did not think about what comes next. It is clear they did not calculate the aftermath. Netanyahu knew this weakness well and was trying to lure the US into a trap.

Everything rested on the familiar narrative of a 12-day “attack on Iran” in June. These forces, which tried to push Iran out of the entire region and force it into internal defense, became reckless with the simplistic belief that “the regime has collapsed from within; one small push and it will be finished.”

But Iran was not like that. Its resilience was high; an external attack would not be enough to topple the regime. An occupation, on the other hand, was impossible in Iran. Neither the US nor Israel has the power or capacity for such a move. The global conjuncture did not open that door for them.

WHY DID TRUMP STEP BACK? WHAT WILL ISRAEL SAY ABOUT THIS?

Except for Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, all regional countries began pressuring the US, warning that such an attack would be suicidal. How effective this pressure was remains unclear, but its impact became evident in Trump’s statements the other night.

Trump said, “Deaths in Iran are over, and there will be no more executions.” We should note that this statement alarmed Israel.

Because Israel was preparing for such an attack by sending Netanyahu’s plane to Crete, reinforcing shelters, and expanding air defense systems across wider areas—essentially trying to take precautions against an Iranian counterattack.

OR WERE THEY PREPARING FOR AN IRANIAN ATTACK?

What we witnessed was unprecedented: the US appeared to be preparing not to attack Iran, but to defend against an Iranian attack. Israel seemed to be preparing not to strike Iran, but for Iran to strike Israel.

For the first time, we were seeing developments outside the usual pattern of US–Israeli attack preparations, and this was confusing.

Who knows—perhaps they were planning a different kind of attack on Iran, one we have never witnessed before. We do not know what that would be or how it would unfold.

But the entire world agrees on one thing: Iran would not be an easy target for them. The internal unrest has already begun to lose its impact.

Iran cannot be collapsed from within solely through the Kurds and Baluchis. The support of these forces alone cannot bring success to the US and Israel. And since there is no capacity for occupation, Iran cannot be brought down merely through strikes on select targets.

ATTACKING ISRAEL IS NOW EASY. EVERYONE HAS REALIZED THIS.

Moreover, for the first time since 1973, Israel came under heavy attack during the 12-day war. Iran’s hypersonic missiles struck Tel Aviv hard and shattered Israel’s “protective immunity.” In my view, Israel’s security doctrine collapsed with this attack.

Every country in the region has now discovered the “ease of attacking Israel.” They have seen that Israel is weak and vulnerable, that it has acted so recklessly only because no one was stopping it—and that, in reality, it is deeply afraid.

GEOGRAPHY IS A WEAPON, AND THIS WEAPON MUST BE USED AGAINST ISRAEL. SO WHAT WAS ON THOSE TWO PLANES?

Yesterday morning, Iran suddenly closed its airspace. As planes arriving from China reached Iran—while the content of the aid and support remained unknown—it became even clearer that Tehran was preparing for something. After the planes landed, the airspace was reopened. So what was on those planes?

Regional countries were taking steps to completely restrict Israel’s regional mobility. This is exactly what I mean when I say, “Geography is a weapon”—using geography itself as a strategic tool.

EVEN THE US CANNOT STOP IRANIAN MISSILES. ISRAEL MAY LOSE ITS PLACE ON THE MAP.

The US and Israel can attack Iran. Netanyahu and Trump—who break the world’s assumptions, invest in chaos and uncertainty, embrace genocidal thinking, and see every method as legitimate to plunder the world’s resources—could suddenly do so.

But the aftermath could lead to Israel being erased from the geographical map.

Iranian missiles would rain down on Israel, and even the US would not be able to stop them. Even if regional countries do not openly support Iran, they would take every step to constrain Israel and put it under severe pressure.

NO ONE NEEDS THIS “GARRISON” ANYMORE.

Let us not forget that Israel was established in the 20th century as a “garrison” for the West to keep this geography under control.

At a time when even US–European relations are shaky, no one needs this garrison anymore. Doors have opened to dispersing the Jewish community to other parts of the world and removing Israel from the geographical map.

No matter what Netanyahu does, he will be disappointed in trying to add new strategic value to Israel for the West.

THE PROTESTS INSIDE IRAN WERE ISRAEL’S SECOND ATTACK. IRAN HAS THE RIGHT TO RETALIATE.

For days, the protests inside Iran were a type of attack directly involving, directed, and guided by Israel.

After the June attack, Israel struck Iran a second time—this time from within. Tehran should see this as an Israeli attack, and it already does. So will Iran retaliate? Of course it has that right.

Were the recent preparations by the US and Israel made because of the possibility that Iran would strike Israel in response? Were US military bases evacuated for this reason?

Was the Israeli population moved into shelters because of this? Could the paradigm-shattering attack come from Iran this time? These are all possible scenarios.

ISRAEL IS WEAK AND FEARFUL. THERE IS NO ONE LEFT TO DEFEND IT.

Israel’s aggression, which has terrorized the entire region, has long exceeded all limits of tolerance. A country committing genocide will never find peace in this geography.

Iran, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, or any other regional country will no longer tolerate such excesses—nor can they.

Therefore, very difficult days await Israel. Israel is weak, acting out of fear, and has no one to defend it except US power.

The UAE was acting alongside Israel on every front—on Israel’s behalf, fragmenting countries, fueling civil wars, and carrying out dirty work.

Look what has happened to it. It was expelled from Yemen and is now being pushed out of Sudan and Somalia as well. If it does not come to its senses quickly, the UAE’s own existence will be at risk.

GREECE AND THE GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION CANNOT PROTECT ISRAEL. THEY CANNOT EVEN PROTECT THEMSELVES.

Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration cannot protect Israel; they cannot even protect themselves. Like Israel, they act out of fear and enter foolish alliances.

This is a complete picture of desperation. Even if Netanyahu sends his plane to Crete, he will soon see that he is not safe there either.

Thus, the Israel–Greece–Greek Cypriot front will end with major losses for Greece. Any country that allies with Israel and forms a joint front in this period will suffer serious losses.

The expectation that the Greek Cypriot side and Greece will enjoy “European protection” will also be dashed.

EUROPE IS IN TERROR. IT IS IN NO POSITION TO THINK ABOUT ISRAEL OR GREECE.

The US announcement that it would seize Greenland plunged all of Europe into terror. Against a US move to take territory belonging to a NATO country, Norway, Germany, France, and the UK announced they would send troops to Greenland.

Denmark has begun deploying troops to the region. But there is nothing they can really do.

With Europe in such a state of helplessness, no one will have the capacity to think about Greece or the Greek Cypriot Administration. This situation will grow, spill over into the Ukraine war, and widen the Russia–Europe fronts.

In such a world, touching Israel will burn you.

A REGIONAL NUCLEAR SHIELD MUST BE ESTABLISHED!

Saudi Arabia’s alignment with Türkiye’s line, beginning in Yemen and extending to Somalia and Sudan, is encouraging. This should continue. A Türkiye–Saudi Arabia–Pakistan partnership should turn into a regional axis, with Egypt, Algeria, and Indonesia brought into this axis as well.

The Türkiye–Saudi Arabia–Pakistan defense partnership must be transformed into a nuclear partnership. This is essential to protect the geography.

The knife is now at the bone, and all countries in the region must make the right decisions for their future. Silence toward Israel and indulgence toward the US will guarantee no country’s future.

I believe this realization has now been reached, and everyone has begun taking steps accordingly. This could result in our geography finally coming to its senses after a hundred years.

IRAN MAY ALREADY POSSESS NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

Iran, which has reportedly received Iskander missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads from Russia, and electronic warfare equipment, aircraft, and air-defense suppression systems from China, may also possess nuclear weapons.

If so, the US must think twice. Israel may not even find the opportunity to defend itself. I believe that right now, both the US and Israel are evaluating these “possibilities.”

The US no longer has the capacity to occupy any country in our region. Israel has no power to strike any country—and if it does, it has no power to prevent the disaster that would turn back on itself.

ISRAEL WILL BE REMOVED FROM THIS MAP!

Every country has now seen that attacking Israel is possible. In a world where the US retreats to the American continent and Europe is consumed by its own future anxieties, Israel will sooner or later be left without protectors.

At a time when the Arab bloc (except the UAE) is distancing itself from Israel, Iran has the possibility of striking Israel, and Türkiye defines Israel as a primary threat, we can say that the lifespan of this “garrison” is over.

And this will truly happen. Israel will be removed from this map. Once developments at the level of the US, Europe, Russia, and China mature a bit more, we will all see it.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF IRAN STRIKES ISRAEL?

Even under all these conditions, the US and Israel may still attack Iran—because they are only interested in attacking, not in managing what comes after. But they cannot defeat it. They cannot fragment it. And this instability will severely anger Türkiye.

I think everyone can imagine what kind of power shocks that anger could produce.

But what if the opposite happens? What if Iran—declared “collapsed”—strikes Israel one night? What if Tel Aviv is engulfed in flames? Where would a handful of Israelis take refuge? Which hole would they crawl into?

THE STRONG STAY STANDING, THOSE WHO STUMBLE ARE CRUSHED. TÜRKİYE GROWS STRONGER, ISRAEL SHRINKS.

This, too, is possible. This is the kind of world we now live in—a world where the global order has collapsed. The strong will stand, the wavering will fall.

We are living in the period when Türkiye and our geography are at their strongest. Everyone is calculating every move carefully, weighing each step a hundred times—yet still moving forward.

I believe that Türkiye will emerge from these storms of crisis as a superpower. Therefore, more than Israel, Türkiye’s steps should be watched carefully.

And as Türkiye grows stronger, Israel will shrink. From now on, nothing will be easy for the US and Israel in this geography.

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