[Order Michael Finch’s new book, A Time to Stand: HERE. Prof. Jason Hill calls it “an aesthetic and political tour de force.”]
Turkey’s NATO membership serves the interests of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he pursues his expressed vision of a revived Ottoman Empire with himself as caliph, particularly now that the EU and America are arming him. Years ago, Erdogan declared that NATO members weren’t “strong enough” and did “not have the cheek” to stand up to Turkey. He’s proving to be right. Yet, given the strength of Donald Trump, Erdogan will not risk alienating him. Turkey froze “assets of Iranian entities tied to Tehran’s nuclear program, aligning with UN sanctions and Western efforts to curb proliferation and increase pressure.” The Kaama Press News Agency in Afghanistan reported:
Turkey’s alignment with international sanctions underscores growing global unity against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. While Ankara has historically maintained complex trade and energy ties with Tehran, this decision signals a clear move to reinforce collective measures against proliferation risks.
There’s no such “clear move,” given Iran’s announcement of a new Iran-Turkey defense partnership. “Iran, Turkey Defense Chiefs Eye Stronger Security Partnership – World news,” Tasnim News Agency, October 2, 2025:
Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh and his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler met in Ankara, where they discussed expanding military cooperation and signaled intentions to build a stronger regional security partnership.
General Nasirzadeh, who has traveled to Ankara at the official invitation of Turkish Chief of General Staff General Yasar Guler, held talks with senior Turkish officials, saying the visit provided a platform for direct discussions on bilateral defense cooperation and wider regional issues.
Highlighting cultural and religious ties, Nasirzadeh said Iran and Turkey share broad common ground, adding that differences are minor compared with shared interests.
He said strengthening defense ties with neighboring countries is a priority for Tehran.
He described Turkey as a key Muslim nation with political, economic and military influence, adding that stronger military cooperation could help address challenges facing the Islamic world and the region….
Erdogan is indeed fully dedicated to Islam; so much so, in fact, that he has stated that there is no difference between Turkey and the Taliban in beliefs.
Islam knows no boundaries at all in employing deception. Its classic theology divides the world in two — dar al Harb and dar al Islam — that is, the House of War and the House of Islam, respectively. “War is deceit,” in the words of Muhammad (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2637), and “Allah is the best of deceivers” (Qur’an 3:54).
The Qur’an also instructs on how to defeat disbelievers using deception….
Let not the believers take unbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoever does that has no connection with Allah unless you are guarding yourselves against them, taking security. Allah bids you to beware of him. To Allah is the journeying. (Qur’an 3:28).
Al-Tabari’s (838-923 AD) tafsir (a Quranic exegeses and standard reference in the Muslim world) states this about Qur’an 3:28:
“If you [Muslims] are under their [infidels’] authority, fearing for yourselves, behave loyally to them, with your tongue, while harbouring inner animosity for them... Allah has forbidden believers from being friendly or on intimate terms with the infidels in place of believers – except when infidels are above them [in authority]. In such a scenario, let them act friendly towards them.”
Turkey’s move to sanction Iran looks more like a clever tactic to assuage the West, particularly in light of Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Erdogan’s latest military cooperation with Iran signals his real intentions: “to build a stronger regional ‘security’ partnership with Iran,” which would be a significant impediment to any Middle East peace. Given the Islamic theological justifications for aggression and conquest, as well as for dissimulation, Islamic entities can never be trusted, but the West is reliably and persistently played for fools.