Turkish President Erdogan continues to cultivate ties with clerics linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, even as he seeks improved relations with regional powers that classify the movement as a terrorist group.
NORDIC MONITOR -- On August 28, 2025, Erdogan hosted the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) in Istanbul, alongside top Turkish religious officials. The visit coincided with a Gaza-focused conference that gathered 150 scholars from 50 countries, underscoring Turkey’s role as a hub for Islamic leadership aligned with Erdogan’s political agenda.
The relationship between Erdogan and IUMS has been long and strategic. Before Turkey’s 2023 presidential election, the group issued a statement urging Muslims worldwide to support him, praising his lifting of the headscarf ban, expansion of Quranic education, and Turkey’s technological advances. Analysts suggested the statement may have had input from Erdogan’s office, though unconfirmed.
Erdogan has also engaged with Brotherhood-linked leaders abroad. In September 2023, he hosted Oussama Jammal of the US Council of Muslim Organizations, emphasizing unity against Islamophobia and seeking stronger diaspora engagement in America.