Populist Surge: Former President's Turkey Trip Sparks Regional Buzz and Domestic Fury

The Turkish political contacts he made during the visit also added a layer of speculation to the "cultural" nature of his trip. Ahmadinejad was reported to have met with figures such as Abdülkadir Aksu, a prominent politician within Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and Mustafa Destici, the leader of the Great Union Party. Such high-level political engagement, even if informal, strongly suggested the visit was far more than a purely academic excursion, indicating an attempt to maintain or build political influence within a key regional power.