Perinçek's Harsh Criticism of Hakan Fidan: "Those Who Did Not Know Their Lesson Failed"

Following recent regional developments and tensions between Iran and the United States, Doğu Perinçek, leader of Turkey's Vatan Party, once again aimed his attacks at the Turkish diplomatic apparatus and Hakan Fidan personally. In remarks published on July 5, 2026, in the newspaper "Aydınlık," Perinçek claimed that the Turkish Foreign Ministry's analyses regarding the future of Iran were completely incorrect [1].

Ankara's Calculative Failure Regarding Tehran Recalling Hakan Fidan's previous statement that "Iran has not studied its lesson well," Perinçek turned this phrase against him. He stated: "The one who did not know their lesson was Hakan Fidan and the Turkish government. They imagined Iran would fail under American pressure, but Iran not only did not fail, it emerged victorious" [1]. He emphasized that the inability to predict the course of events indicates a deep weakness in the government's strategic analyses.

The Iran-Russia-China Alliance; Victory Against the US The leader of the Vatan Party, pointing to the shift in the global balance of power, considered Iran's victory a win for the Eastern alliance. He noted that Iran, by relying on a strategic union with Russia and China, managed to neutralize American plans. Perinçek believes the world witnessed a major historical experience in which the "Iran-Russia-China" front won, while the United States and its regional allies, including those in Ankara who pinned their hopes on a Western victory, failed [1][2].

Claim of Vatan Party's Correct Prediction In another part of his speech, Perinçek claimed that within the Turkish political landscape, only the Vatan Party had predicted Iran's victory from the beginning. He said: "While other political actors remained silent or stood on the wrong side, we said with precise analysis that Iran would win. Today it is proven that the Vatan Party is the only movement that correctly understands the realities of the region" [1].

The Role of Leadership and Iran's Defense Power He also referred to Iran's internal characteristics, attributing the country's strength to the bond between the people and the leadership. Praising the role of Ayatollah Khamenei, Perinçek stated that Iran has leaders who do not hesitate to be on the front lines and make sacrifices. He concluded by warning that without a powerful ground force, no power can defeat Iran, and American calculations in this regard were wrong from the start [1]. These criticisms come as relations between Ankara and Tehran have also been affected in recent months by NATO pressures and developments in the Caucasus [2].