The 17th installment of the Foreign Policy Talks, a series of closed roundtable meetings organized by IstanPol to bring together experts, researchers, academics, and journalists to discuss current foreign policy issues, was held online on June 26, 2025. The event focused on the regional escalation between Iran and Israel and its implications for Türkiye’s strategic repositioning.

The recent confrontation between Iran and Israel has intensified instability across the Middle East, placing Türkiye at the center of a shifting regional landscape. President Erdoğan’s pledge to strengthen defense production underscores Ankara’s increasing emphasis on deterrence, particularly as it expands cooperation with European partners seeking to rebuild the continent’s security architecture. This session examined how Türkiye is responding to rising regional tensions, the role of defense and security in its relations with Europe, and the broader implications for its strategic posture amid a rapidly evolving international environment.

Under the moderation of Riccardo Gasco, the coordinator of IstanPol’s Foreign Policy Program, the session explored these questions with the participation of distinguished speakers:

• Dr. Hamidreza Azizi, Non-Resident Fellow, Middle East Council on Global Affairs
• Dr. Nilgün Arısan Eralp, Director of the Center for European Union Studies, TEPAV
• Dr. Nimrod Goren, President & Founder, the Mitvim Institute; Executive Board Member, Diplomeds
• Dr. Burcu Özçelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security, RUSI