Ιran War Disrupts Turkey's Peace Process as Parliament Navigates PKK Disarmament

Regional conflict forces tactical shift in Turkey's "Terror-Free" initiative, with legislation and weapons handover now proceeding simultaneously

Turkey's ambitious effort to resolve its longstanding Kurdish conflict through parliamentary means faces unexpected complications as the escalating Iran war reshapes regional security dynamics, forcing adjustments to the disarmament timeline and legislative process.

Writing in YetkinReport, veteran journalist Murat Yetkin argues that "thinking the Iran war won't affect or delay the Terror-Free Turkey process as it shakes political and economic balances in our region and the world would be unrealistic."

The original plan championed by the ruling AK Party required the PKK to surrender its weapons before Parliament would pass enabling legislation—a sequence designed partly to reassure the party's voter base. According to Yetkin, the Parliamentary Commission Report stipulates that disarmament verification would be conducted by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT) alongside the Defense and Interior ministries, likely confirmed through the National Security Council Secretariat.

However, the intensifying conflict between the U.S.-Israel coalition and Iran, which has spread to Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region where American bases are located, complicates matters. "In this period, it can be seen that it won't be easily possible for the PKK, which has maintained its presence in this region for nearly half a century, to lay down its weapons," Yetkin observed.

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş acknowledged the urgency during a recent gathering with journalists, stating: "When we look at Iran, Syria and other developments in the region, it's obvious we're in a very fragile process at any moment. We don't have abundant time with our hands completely free. We need to conclude this process rapidly in a common direction," Yetkin reported.

Kurtulmuş also recognized persistent security concerns, telling reporters that while the PKK has been weakened through military operations, "it's also obvious that another mindset can easily set up schemes that could disrupt the streets," according to Yetkin's account.

The journalist noted that all parties with parliamentary representation except the İYİ Party support seeking a political solution to the Kurdish issue under Parliament's roof, acknowledging it serves Turkey's strategic interests.

A tactical adjustment now appears necessary. Yetkin writes that the process will be completed through a method of "not consecutively, but intertwined" steps—allowing weapons handover and legislative action to proceed simultaneously rather than sequentially.

"Neither saying laws won't be passed until weapons are completely laid down, nor saying weapons won't be laid down until laws are completely passed, appears to have weakened practical relevance with the Iran war," Yetkin assessed.

The journalist emphasized that Parliament has passed its first test, but responsibility now shifts primarily to the executive branch and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. "Because now the process depends not only on convincing parliamentarians and party groups, but also public opinion and the majority of the people," he wrote.

Yetkin also highlighted opposition leader Özgür Özel's suggestion that allowing cases against CHP mayors to proceed without imprisonment—potentially placing Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu under house arrest—would reduce political tension and contribute to "fortifying the internal front" while Turkey is surrounded by conflict.

"The foreign policy Erdoğan is pursuing within the framework of the Iran war that began with U.S.-Israel attacks is going consistently so far; it's beneficial to continue this way," Yetkin concluded, adding that similar moderate steps domestically would help Turkey's most critical recent project reach its goal quickly.