Turkey's current account deficit widened to $9.6 billion in March, the highest monthly gap in three years, driven by a higher trade gap amid soaring energy prices linked to the Iran war. Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek said on Wednesday that the deficit would increase further this year due to elevated energy and commodity prices, but described the deterioration as temporary and manageable. Excluding gold and energy, the March deficit stood at $3.9 billion, the central bank reported.

Turkish authorities detained 324 suspects in coordinated operations against the Daesh terrorist group across 47 provinces, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday. The raids, conducted with the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), police and prosecutors, targeted individuals wanted by security forces, financial supporters and former group operatives. Security forces seized weapons, ammunition, digital materials and TL 9.67 million ($214,000) in assets.

Özkan Yalım, the former CHP mayor of Uşak, told investigators he paid TL 1.2 million to party chair Özgür Özel and bribed delegates to secure Özel's election in November 2023. Yalım also admitted to using municipal vehicles and staff for private business, creating fictitious jobs, and converting a Mercedes for Özel at municipal expense. His testimony, made public on Tuesday, follows similar admissions by former Antalya mayor Muhittin Böcek.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the country may expand its strategic mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia to include Turkey and Qatar. The deal, signed in September 2025, aims to reduce dependence on outside powers and bolster regional stability. Asif described the potential expansion as part of a new order in economy and defense.

Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides announced that the United Nations is likely to launch a new push to resolve the Cyprus issue before Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' term ends this year. He cited Guterres' encouragement from March discussions with Turkish President Erdogan. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, and the last meaningful negotiations collapsed in 2017. This development signals a potential renewed diplomatic effort to reunify the island.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan on May 13, 2026, for a two-day visit that includes bilateral talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and participation in the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Turkistan. The leaders are expected to discuss deepening strategic cooperation in energy, transportation, trade, and defense, with a focus on the Middle Corridor trade route, Caspian transit, and energy security. The visit reflects growing ties between the two Turkic nations amid geopolitical shifts from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry announced on May 13, 2026, that bureaucratic preparations for direct trade with Armenia have been finalized as of May 11, 2026, under confidence-building measures initiated in 2022. The new arrangement permits goods transiting through a third country to list Armenia or Türkiye as the final destination or departure point. Technical efforts to open the common border continue. This step marks progress in the normalization process between the two countries and aims to strengthen economic relations and regional cooperation in the South Caucasus.

Turkey showcased its post-earthquake reconstruction efforts in Hatay to international officials and media as part of preparations for the COP31 climate summit. Environment Minister Murat Kurum highlighted the construction of 455,000 homes and workplaces across 11 provinces since the 2023 earthquakes. International officials praised the speed and scale of the rebuilding, describing it as a model for resilient city development.