The Levant Files

According to Qods News Agency (QNA) — an Iranian state-aligned outlet with close institutional ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and widely regarded as a semi-official mouthpiece of the hardline security establishment in Tehran — the Naval Force of the IRGC has issued a stark warning declaring that vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must use only the navigation routes officially designated by Iran, following reports that an alternative shipping corridor had been announced by unspecified authorities without prior coordination with Tehran. In a statement released early Thursday, the IRGC Navy described the newly announced route as “unacceptable and extremely dangerous,” asserting that it had been introduced without the knowledge or approval of Iranian authorities. The statement underscored that the only authorized navigation corridors through the strategically critical waterway are those previously communicated by Iran, and warned that any vessel operating outside...

By Dr. Nikolaos Stelgias In an exclusive interview with The Levant Files, Özdil Nami — former Foreign Minister of the unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and a veteran Turkish Cypriot negotiator at the heart of successive rounds of the Cyprus talks — offers a sober reading of the diplomacy now gathering pace around the island. He cautions against the language of a “new plan,” parses what the United Nations may actually be attempting, and explains why, in his view, the cost of saying “no” remains the missing ingredient of every settlement effort since 2004. Not a Plan, but a “Strategic Agreement” Asked by The Levant Files whether the much-discussed new summit and the United Nations’ reported initiative mean the island stands on the eve of a fresh settlement plan — or whether this is merely another attempt to breathe life into a dormant process — Nami began by insisting on precision about the very word everyone is using. “We need to clarify what we understand by a new ‘plan,...

Dr. Nikolaos Stelgias Eski Dışişleri Bakanı ve eski Ulaştırma ve Bayındırlık Bakanı Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, The Levant Files’a verdiği özel röportajda Kıbrıs meselesinin mevcut durumunu diplomatik bir bakış açısıyla değerlendirdi. Kozakou-Marcoullis, gerçek bir siyasî irade ortaya çıkmadığı takdirde adanın geri dönülmez biçimde bölünmeye sürüklenebileceği uyarısını yaptı. Kıbrıs’ın en deneyimli diplomatlarından biri olan Kozakou-Marcoullis, adada çözüm arayışının yeni ve belki de son bir aşamaya yaklaştığı yönündeki değerlendirmelere temkinli yaklaştı. “Çözüme yalnızca bir adım kalmıştı” Hükûmetin dile getirdiği “nihai süreç” söyleminin gerçekçi bir beklenti mi yoksa iyi niyetli bir temenniden mi ibaret olduğu sorusuna yanıt veren Kozakou-Marcoullis, iyimser beklentiler yaratmaktan kaçındı. Birleşmiş Milletler Genel Sekreterinin, Cenevre ve Crans-Montana’daki yoğun diplomasi döneminden sonra kayda değer bir ilerleme sağlayamadığını belirten eski bakan, görevini devretmeden önce halef...

Dr. Nikolaos Stelgias In an exclusive interview with The Levant Files, Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis — former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Minister of Communications and Works of the Republic of Cyprus — delivers a sober diplomatic reading of the present moment, warning that, absent genuine political will, the island risks drifting irreversibly toward partition. Speaking exclusively to The Levant Files, one of Cyprus’s most experienced diplomats offered a measured but unmistakably cautious assessment of suggestions that the island may be approaching a new and final phase in the search for a settlement. ‘A Mile From the Solution’ Asked whether the government’s signals of an imminent “final process” reflect a realistic prospect or merely a pious aspiration, the former Foreign Minister was careful not to inflate expectations. The UN Secretary-General, she noted, has achieved little of substance since the intense early months of his tenure in Geneva and Crans-Montana, and would un...

In a revealing analysis published on June 25, Yetkin Report’s Murat Yetkin outlines a stunning geopolitical realignment ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara. During a White House meeting on June 24, US President Donald Trump told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that he is traveling to the July 7-8 summit specifically for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. When Rutte pressed whether Trump would attend for him, the President hesitated before responding, "Probably, I could come," explicitly highlighting his strong personal rapport with Erdoğan while underscoring Türkiye’s critical role within NATO due to its powerful military. Trump revealed he would arrive in Ankara bearing a "big gift" intended to delight President Erdoğan. Concurrent media reports confirmed that this gift is the approval for General Electric F-110 jet engines, which are crucial for powering Türkiye’s indigenous National Combat Aircraft, the KAAN. The announcement signals a major diplomatic win...

Israel has officially denied a U.S. State Department claim that it withdrew from buffer zones in southern Lebanon, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post published Thursday. Two IDF sources flatly rejected the American assertion, while a senior Lebanese security official told the Post that Beirut was also unaware of any such troop movement. The U.S. official had argued that Israel had "already taken a concrete step by pulling back from a part of its buffer zone," calling it a "significant demonstration of good faith toward Lebanon’s legitimate government." The official urged the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to "move in and verifiably clear out terrorist weapons and infrastructure," adding that this model would be repeated across the south to enable the return of displaced families. However, the IDF sources quoted by The Jerusalem Post contradicted this, insisting no pullback has occurred. The report, written by Yonah Jeremy Bob and Reuters, details tha...

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that the two sides have reached an understanding on most of the elements that could form the basis of a nuclear agreement with the United States, following the conclusion of the third round of talks held in Geneva. Speaking to IRNA after the negotiations concluded, Araghchi described the atmosphere as notably serious, noting that the day's session was divided into two rounds — a morning meeting lasting approximately four hours and an afternoon session following internal consultations by both delegations. "This time, the talks were more serious and lengthier," Araghchi said, adding that the two sides had discussed the components that could constitute a final agreement. "There is an understanding on most of these elements, but how to address them requires further detailed discussions." To advance technical aspects of the negotiations, Araghchi announced that Iranian experts would meet with the International Ato...

Pro-government outlet Haber7 reports charges against opposition-run Adalar municipality, as Ankara's crackdown on CHP districts widens Turkish prosecutors have arrested 35 suspects, including the mayor of Istanbul's Adalar (Princes' Islands) district, over allegations that the municipality illegally extorted funds from a Greek Orthodox foundation legally exempt from municipal fees — in what critics say is the latest episode in a widening government campaign against opposition-controlled local administrations. The allegations were first reported by Haber7, a pro-government online news outlet with close editorial ties to Turkey's ruling conservative establishment. Founded within the broader media ecosystem aligned with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP-led government, Haber7 has been a consistent platform for coverage targeting municipalities governed by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), and its reporting on this case follows a well-establish...

The ongoing political turmoil within the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has reached a critical juncture, with new developments finally confirming the intelligence previously released by The Levant Files. Reporting for the Turkish media outlet Nefes, journalist Tarık Işık has validated that the team surrounding the recently removed CHP leader, Özgür Özel, is actively laying the groundwork for a new political movement—a maneuver long anticipated by observers tracking the internal collapse of the party. The shift follows the court-ordered removal of Özgür Özel and the subsequent reinstatement of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as CHP chairman—a decision that has effectively gridlocked the opposition. As legal channels to retain his position within the CHP become increasingly constrained, Özel’s inner circle is finalizing contingency plans, signaling that the formation of an alternative entity is no longer just a rumor, but a strategic reality. Beyond the "Leftist" Label A significant detail...