Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered messages marking today’s (24/7) anniversary in Turkey of the decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque, as well as commenting on the NATO Summit held in Ankara. “It is our honor to reopen the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque for worship on its 6th anniversary. We are very, very happy about this,” he said emphatically.
Erdoğan: “We have fulfilled the heartfelt words of the Master”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated: “During the gatherings we held here with the late Master Necip Fazıl, he would point to the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and say: ‘Hagia Sophia will open, Hagia Sophia will open one day.’ Not only did we reopen it, but we were also given the honor of restoring it to the Islamic world. We have fulfilled the heartfelt words of the Master, and we are very happy about that.”
Erdoğan also noted that restoration and renovation works are ongoing, adding: “The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, which opens its doors to the Islamic world and to all of humanity — Christians and Muslims alike — makes us all very happy. We are truly proud of this joy.
This place of worship is a truly unique work, a unique house of worship, both in its architectural features and in its place in the world. As such, as Turkey’s leader in the Islamic world, we have been fortunate to experience this process. For that, we thank our Lord. We send our most heartfelt greetings, love and respect to the entire Islamic world.”
#CANLI Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan: Bizler gerçekten gururluyuz, mutluyuz ve bu mabed tabi mimari özellikleriyle olsun, dünyadaki konumuyla olsun çok çok farklı bir eser, farklı bir mabed pic.twitter.com/UqueX85eIg
— Star Gazetesi 🇹🇷 (@stargazete) July 24, 2026
What he said about the NATO Summit
When asked about the NATO Leaders’ Summit held in Ankara, President Erdoğan stated: “Honestly, the feedback has been extremely positive. We received thank-you letters and phone calls, and the hospitality and honor we showed on the opening day particularly pleased our guests.
Because of this, all the leaders, starting with Donald Trump, were genuinely delighted. They shared their feelings with us in a very special way — both at the dinner and afterward, even with their spouses, during the fashion show organized by my wife. We experienced this joy twice over, and we are very happy about it. Of course, after 20 years, the Istanbul Summit followed by this summit in Ankara have both been a source of great happiness for us. I feel it is my duty to thank all of our guests following the NATO Leaders’ Summit.”
