President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed his government's commitment to preserving Istanbul's historical identity, stating that the city would remain Turkish and Muslim “until the end of time.” He criticized those who wrote “oppression began in 1453” on the city’s walls and described them as “Byzantine leftovers.”
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan said some critics continue to oppose the historical significance of the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul but insisted the city's identity would remain unchanged.
Erdogan said the conquest transformed a declining Byzantine city into a thriving Ottoman capital through the efforts of Fatih Sultan Mehmed. He pointed to Hagia Sophia as a lasting symbol of that legacy, emphasizing its reopening for worship and the return of Quran recitations and the call to prayer within the monument.
The president also pledged to protect the spirit of the conquest, continue investing in Istanbul and pursue projects he said are worthy of the city. He stressed that Istanbul would remain closely tied to the heritage of Fatih Sultan Mehmed and its historical foundations.
